Lime Squares With Pistachio Graham Cracker Crust Recipes

KEY LIME BARS

Steps:

• Make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Press evenly onto bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Bake until dry and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. (Leave oven on.)
• Make filling: Put egg yolks and lime zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on high speed until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add condensed milk in a slow, steady stream, mixing constantly. Raise speed to high; mix until thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add lime juice; mix until just combined.
• Spread filling evenly over crust using a spatula. Bake, rotating dish halfway through, until filling is just set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight).
• Cut into 2-by-2-inch bars. Put cream in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the clean whisk attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Garnish bars with whipped cream and a slice of lime.

LIME SQUARES WITH PISTACHIO GRAHAM-CRACKER CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with melted butter. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides.
• In a food processor, finely grind pistachios with graham-cracker crumbs, sugar and zest. Blend in butter. Press mixture into bottom and 1-inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned, 8-12 minutes. Cool crust, 30 minutes.
• To Make The Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and condensed milk. Add lime juice; whisk until smooth. Pour filling into cooled crust; carefully spreading to edges.
• Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan on rack then chill at least 1 hour before serving. Using parchment paper overhang, lift out of pan, and transfer to cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut into 16 squares, wiping knife clean with a damp kitchen towel between each cut. To store in refrigerator, cover in plastic wrap.

PISTACHIO LIME SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter, confectioners sugar, and salt and rub the mixture between your fingertips until it is the consistency of large moist breadcrumbs. Press the sweet dough evenly onto the base and about 1 inch up the sides of the prepared baking pan, and place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm the pastry. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the pastry is firm and golden brown all over.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs together with the sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is pale. Beat in the baking powder, lime zest, lime juice, and salt. Stir in the pistachio nuts. Pour this mixture over the prebaked crust, making sure that the pistachios are evenly distributed, and return to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until the filling is set and puffy. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool and refrigerate for at least 1 and preferably 2 hours, or overnight, tightly covered. Just before serving, sift a little confectioners sugar over the top and cut into squares.