CK's KITCHEN: Key lime pie bars are an easy to make tangy treat

A work potluck and a coworker with a sweet tooth who requested that I bake something citrusy in addition to a grilled corn salad (more on that next column) led me to this recipe for easy key lime pie bars. Courtesy of my favorite baking maven, Sally of Sally's Baking Addiction, I loved the simplicity of only seven ingredients, eight if you're including the whipped cream for a garnish. I actually didn't even mind that I needed to buy six of them on my way home from the office, and happily filled my basket with a can of sweet condensed milk, a carton of eggs, full-fat cream cheese, a box of graham crackers, whipped cream, and a bag of the all-important key limes which I found at my local Heinen's for $4.29. Key limes Smaller, rounder, and more yellow than a typical Persian lime, Key limes have a more intense and tangier flavor. It was my first time zesting and juicing these little limes, and it took almost the entire one-pound bag to net ½ cup of lime juice. It was a bit tedious, but I was confident this would be worth it. Not interested in doing this by hand? You can pick up Nellie and Joe's Famous Key Lime Juice, or one of the bottled lime juices that are available at most grocery stores next to the lemon juice. For me, I had to do things the authentic, hard way, and honestly, I didn't even know these were available until reading through the recipe once I got home. Next time, maybe! The jiggle I used my Vitamix to grind up 12 sheets of graham crackers to make the crust — so easy, do this instead of buying the crumbs. While the sugar-butter-cracker crust baked in the oven, I got my Kitchen Aid whipping the room temp cream cheese, before adding the yolks, juice, zest, and sweetened condensed milk. I spread the filling on top of the mostly cooled crust and baked it for 20 minutes. It wasn't jiggly at all when I brought it out of the oven, and I worried I had overbaked it. After cooling on a wire rack, I tucked it into the fridge overnight. The next morning at work, I had a few coworkers try small pieces — just for quality control — and their eyes widened after the first bite. "Oh wow, these are really good!" Words like "phenomenal" and "amazing" followed from the rest of our crew as they were devoured. They are the creamiest and most delicious bars I've ever made, and everyone who bakes immediately requested the recipe. To say these were a hit would be an understatement, and I can't wait to make them again! Oh, and one last tip: Make sure to cut into squares with a sharp knife, wiping it clean between each cut. Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net. Easy key lime pie bars Crust 12 full-sheet graham crackers (to yield 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs) 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar Filling 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature 4 large egg yolks 14-ounce (397g) can of sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup (120ml) key lime juice 2 teaspoons lime zest (about 1 lime or 2 key limes) Optional for garnish: whipped cream and lime slices Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside. Make the crust: If you're starting out with full graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs. You can also place them in a zip-top bag and crush them into fine crumbs with a little arm muscle and a rolling pin. Stir the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl, and then stir in the melted butter. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy. Try to smash/break up any large chunks. Press into the bottom of the lined pan. Prebake crust: Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes as you prepare the filling in the next step. Make the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg yolks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, and lime zest until combined. After mixing the filling with your mixer, give it a final whisk by hand to make sure there are no cream cheese lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Pour/spoon filling evenly onto the warm crust. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until the edges of the bars appear set and the center is only *slightly* jiggly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature on a wire rack and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours. Lift the parchment paper out of the pan and cut into squares. Garnish with whipped cream, lime slices, and extra lime zest. The bars stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Some additional notes: Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the bars for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Gingersnap Crust: The original recipe called for a gingersnap crust. To make this version, combine 2 cups (240g) finely crushed crunchy gingersnap cookies with 3 Tablespoons melted salted butter. Pre-baking and baking instructions remain the same. Can I Bake This in a 9×13-inch Pan? You can, but I have had better results baking a smaller batch, as written, in the 9-inch pan. If you want to make a larger batch, double each ingredient and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. Prebake the crust for 10 minutes, pour in the filling, and bake for about 35 minutes. Yield: 16 bars Source: sallysbakingaddiction.com/key-lime-pie-bars