Toasted Coconut Lime Bars Food

TOASTED COCONUT LIME BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a food processor, pulse flour, macadamia nuts, brown sugar and lime zest until nuts are coarsely ground. Add butter and pulse again until mixture is like wet sand. Press mixture evenly into bottom of lined 9x9 pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and set like a soft cookie.
• While crust is baking, in a large bowl, whisk together condensed milk, lime juice, vanilla extract. Whisk in beaten eggs, then fold in 2 cups flaked coconut and 1/2 of the lime zest. Set aside. Toast the remaining 1/2 cup coconut.
• Pour coconut lime filling over warm crust. Top with toasted coconut and remaining lime zest. Gently press into filling. Bake again for another 15-20 minutes or until filling is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Filling will continue to set as the dessert cools.
• Slice into squares and serve.

KEY LIME COCONUT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes to ensure even browning. Remove from oven; transfer to a plate to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar, and add half the toasted coconut. Using 2 knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour-coconut mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Pat mixture into a 9-by-13-inch pan, and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, beat together egg yolks and condensed milk with a whisk until thick. Gradually beat in lime zest and juice. Pour into cooled crust, sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut, and bake until just hot, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely, then chill until ready to serve. Cut into six 2 1/3-inch rows; cut rows on a diagonal to form diamonds. Before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and garnish with lime zest, if desired.

COCONUT LIME SQUARES

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. and butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
• In a bowl blend together with fingertips flour, butter, coconut, confectioners' sugar, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat mixture into prepared pan and bake in middle of oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Make custard:
• In a bowl whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined well and stir in flour, lime juice, and zest.
• Pour mixture over crust and bake in middle of oven 20 minutes. Top custard with coconut and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, or until just set. Cool confection in pan on a rack and chill 1 hour.