KEY LIME BARS

From: Chew Out Loud

INGREDIENTS

For the Filling

• 4 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 2 TB grated lime zest
• 1 cup fresh lime juice, from 6-8 limes
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 (14 oz each) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 2 large egg yolks
• powdered sugar, for dusting

For the Crust

• 10 oz animal crackers (i.e., Stauffer’s Original)
• 6 TB packed brown sugar
• 8 TB salted butter, melted and slightly cooled

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325F, with rack on middle position.  Press a long sheet of heavy-duty foil into the corners and up sides of 13×9 pan, with enough foil hanging over edges of pan, for super easy removal later.  Grease foil.
2. Pulse animal crackers in food processor until evenly fine.  Add brown sugar and salt and process to combine.  Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are moistened with butter evenly.  Press crumbs firmly and evenly into bottom of prepared pan.  Bake until golden brown, 18-20 minutes.  Cool while making the filling.  Leave oven on.
3. In medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with a rubber spatula until soft and creamy and fully incorporated.  Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until combined and no lumps of cream cheese remain.  Whisk in egg yolk.  Add lime juice and gently whisk until fully combined.  Mixture will thicken slightly.
4. Pour filing into crust.  Spread to corners and smooth the surface.  Bake until set and edges begin to pull slightly away from sides, 23-25 minutes.  Center will still be a bit jiggly.  Cool on wire rack to room temp.  Cover with foil and refrigerate until fully chilled. Remove bars from pan using foil.  Cut into squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar right before serving.  Keeps for days in fridge.

Source:  Chew Out Loud, adapted from Cooks Illustrated cookbook