The minty lime bars are like the traditional key lime pie in many ways, except you can hold and eat them with your fingers. The firmness come from the shortbread crust at the bottom layer and a lime curd filling set with the help of cornstarch. A touch of fresh mint together with the dusting of white powdered sugar invokes the arrival of spring.
The first order of business is to make the shortbread crust. Start with massaging the lime zest into the granulated sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand. The fragrant oil fills the air with the excitement of something wonderful down the road. (You won’t be disappointed with these bars.) The shortbread dough comes together by mixing and squeezing the ingredients together: fragrant sugar, flour, chopped mint, baking powder and chilled butter. Then bake the flattened crumbs in a lined 8 x 8-inch pan until golden.
The process of making the curd requires some attention, but it’s not difficult to do. Begin by combining a hot citrus mixture in a saucepan. When the mixture comes to a boil, immediately start the next step. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until the mixture becomes smooth and pale. (Don’t let the egg mixture sit, which could lead to a lumpy curd.) Slowly drizzle the hot citrus mixture into the eggs.
Finally, whisk the egg mixture back it the saucepan over medium-low heat until the curds thicken. To ensure the curd has the right consistency, it should register 170°F on an instant thermometer. (Don’t skip this step.) Remove from heat, whisk in the butter a piece at a time.
Pour the hot curd over the crust. Bake the bars. In the end, there is nothing left to do except waiting to let the bars chill in the fridge until they are set and harden. Don’t rush them.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
– Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu
Minty Lime Bars | Dessert Person
Ingredients
- SHORTBREAD CRUST:
- Butter for the pan
- 2 tbsp finely grated lime zest (from about 3 limes)
- 1/4 cup (1.8 oz/ 50g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (4.6 oz/ 130g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 stick (4 oz/ 113g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, chilled
- LIME CURD FILLINGS:
- 3/4 cup (6 oz/ 170g) fresh lime juice, from about 7 limes
- 1/4 cup (2 oz/ 57g) fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
- 1 tsp (.11oz/ 3g) cornstarch
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup (7 oz/ 200g) granulated sugar
- 5 (2.6 oz/ 80g) large egg yolks
- 1 (1.8 oz/ 50g) large egg
- 6 tbsp (3 oz/ 85g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, chilled
- powdered sugar and finely grated lime zest, for serving
Instructions
PREHEAT THE OVEN AND PREPARE THE PAN: Arrange an oven rake in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 8 x 8-inch pan with two sheets of foil, crossing one over the other and pressing the foil into the corners and up the sides. Butter the bottom and sides of the foil and set the pan aside.
MAKE THE SHORTBREAD CRUST: In a medium bowl, use your fingers to massage the lime zest into the granulated sugar until the fragrant oils are released and the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the flour, chopped mint, baking powder, and salt and toss to combine. Add the pieces of chilled butter and toss to coat in the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to smash the butter completely into the flour mixture, working until you have lots of moist crumbs that hold together easily when pressed.
BAKE THE CRUST: Transfer the shortbread dough to the prepared pan and scatter the crumbs evenly across the bottom. Use your hands to flatten the crumbs into an even layer, working it into the corners and against the sides. Bake the shortbread until lightly golden across the surface, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. (Leave the oven on and reduce the temperature to 300°F.) Let the crust cool while you make the filling.
MAKE THE LIME CURD FILLING: In a small saucepan, combine the lime juice, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt, and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar (3.5 oz/ 100g) and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, to dissolve the sugar. When the mixture comes into a boil, whisk constantly until it thickens slightly from the cornstarch, about 1 minute, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar (3.5 oz/ 100g) until the mixture is smooth, thick and has paled a couple of shades, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle the hot citrus mixture into the eggs a tablespoon at a time to slowly raise the temperature, until you've added about half of the citrus mixture to the eggs.
Whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan, then set back over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the curd turns opaque, is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and barely holds the marks of the whisk (it will also register 170°F on an instant-read thermometer), 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the curd from the heat and whisk in the butter a piece at a time, waiting until each piece melts before adding the next, until the mixture is smooth.
BAKE THE BARS: Pour the hot curd over the crust and shake the pan gently so it settles in an even layer. Bake the bars until the sides have puffed and the center is set but still a bit wobbly when you shake the pan, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan.
CHILL BEFORE SERVING: Transfer the cooled pan to the refrigerator and chill until the bottom of the pan is cold to the touch, about 1 hour. This will harden the butter in both the curd and crust, making it easier to remove the bars from the pan and slice. Use the edges of the foil to lift the bars out of the pan, then peel down the sides of the foil and slide a metal spatula underneath to loosen the crust from the foil. Slide the bars off the foil onto a cutting board and slice into 16 squares. Dust with the powdered sugar and top with more lime zest before serving.
Notes
Adapted from DESSERT PERSON by Claire Saffitz
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