I love everything citrus. They are such a versatile fruit, and because of that, I buy large bags of them regularly at Costco. A few weeks ago I had extra limes and made limeade for the kids. It was a big hit, especially since they rarely have a drink with so much sugar. When I was making lunches one evening, I asked Grace which fruit she would like. She said thoughtfully, “Ummm…I think I want to have a lemon and one lime.” Matthew laughed and said, “You can’t eat that with your lunch!”
In pondering Grace’s remark, it is interesting how we deem one fruit acceptable to eat on its own, like a banana or apple, but others that, well, just aren’t meant to eat by itself. (On a random tangent, I clearly remember eating dinner at my grandparents’ one night and they had a side dish of sliced, fresh tomatoes with a dollop of mayonnaise. As a kid I thought it was the best thing ever, but when I tried having that as an adult, I just couldn’t do it. Mayonnaise need friends. But mayonnaise isn’t fruit. Clearly. But tomatoes are, and I do eat them alone.)
If you like lemon bars, you’ll love these lime bars. The coconut and graham cracker crust cut down on the tartness, and they are great right out of the fridge with a glass of cold milk. The first time I made these, I squeezed the lime juice by hand. Eric’s grandmother had this beautiful glass squeezer that was passed down to me when she died. It is a small bowl with a cone shape at the top, and you press the fruit down, twisting and turning it to get all the juice out. The juice cascades down the cone into the bowl, leaving the pulp in the fruit and not the bowl. Anyway, it about killed my wrist, as I did this with 20+ limes! The second time I made it I just bought a bottle of lime juice. (And didn’t notice a difference.) They keep well for a few days, but I wouldn’t suggest making them too ahead of when you plan to eat them, otherwise you may end up with a soggier crust. Dress it up by sprinkling a little coconut or zest of a lime on top, or just have it plain. You can’t go wrong either way. Enjoy! xoxo
Toasted Coconut Lime Bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hour 20 minutes (includes chill time)
Serves: 24 3×3-inch bars
Crust:
1 c shredded coconut
3 c graham cracker crumbs
⅓ c sugar
18 T unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
6 large egg yolks
3 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 T grated lime zest
1 ½ c lime juice (if using fresh, it’s about 20 limes)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a jelly-roll pan (18×12) and toast in the oven, 6-8 minutes. Watch the coconut as it toasts quickly and you don’t want to burn it. Remove from oven and let cool.
Once the pan is cool, combine in a bowl the graham crackers, sugar, butter, and cooled coconut. Mix until the butter is fully incorporated into the dry ingredients. Dump in the center of the pan and spread out until covered evenly. Gently press down before placing in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
Make the filling while the crust is baking. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and whisk until combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and lime zest. Whisk to fully incorporate. Pour in the lime juice and mix until smooth and juice is combined. Pour over hot crust and return to the oven. Bake until it is just set, 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Cool for 30 minutes, then place in oven for at least 2 hours before cutting into bars and serving. Sprinkle with shredded coconut or lime zest. They will store well wrapped, in the fridge, for up to 3 days.
Recipe Source: One Bowl Baking
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