Lime Curd Bars with Coconut Crust

Tired of traditional lemon bars? These guys will certainly liven things up! A couple of days ago I was planning out a few treats to make for a luncheon and wanted to stick with something easy (some kind of cake or bars) and something I could make the night before. I only had one lemon left over from the blueberry-lemon bars but had a handful of limes, which meant I had to think of some way to make it all work. That's when I realized I had bookmarked this Bon Appétit recipe. So I grabbed the limes, doubled the recipe, and made a few adjustments. They turned out perfect in every way. The lime curd was incredibly flavorful and the coconut crust added sweetness and crunch. 

Lime Curd Bars with Coconut Crust
Ingredients

Crust:
⅓ c. light brown sugar
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c. all-purpose flour

½ cup shredded dried coconut
¹⁄₈ tsp. salt
Zest of ½ a lime

Filling:
1 ¾ c. + 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
4 large eggs

¹⁄₈ tsp. salt

Zest of ½ a lime
¾ cup fresh lime juice (4-5 limes)

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS: 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with aluminum foil, overhanging the edges by 1 inch. 

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar (beat for 2-4 minutes). Add the flour, the zest of half a lime, coconut and the salt. Mix until the dough just holds together (the dough will be soft and sticky). Press into the pan and prick all over with a fork. 

3. Place pan with crust in oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust turns golden brown.
4. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch, baking powder and remaining lime zest and salt. Slowly beat in the eggs one at a time. Then with mixing speed on low, add lime juice. Pour into the baked crust. 

5. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes. Check it around 20 minutes to make sure it does not overcook. Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool. After 30 minutes or so, place in refrigerator until set, 1-2 hours. Cut into bars and dust with confectioners’ sugar and leftover lime zest.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma's Blender- Lime Curd Bars | Makes approximately 24 bars