I recently experimented with putting a spin on classic lemon bars and (after a few trial runs) ended up by baking the most marvelous lime and coconut bars. My lime and coconut bars are a variation of the classic lemon bars. Instead of the usual buttery short crust bottom, I swapped out the butter for refined coconut oil, and added in some unsweetened coconut flakes to really bring home the coconut flavor. For the filling, I swapped out the zest and juice of lemons for the zest and juice of limes. Together, the combination of lime and coconut was just the perfect pairing. Before I discovered my love for my lime and coconut bars, lemon bars were one of my favorite summer treats. I loved how portable, refreshing, and easy lemon bars were for a summer picnic. I would bake up batches of them, wrap them up in individual sheets of parchment paper, and tie the little wrapped squares into the perfect packaged squares. I would pack up a few bars at a time along with some turkey and cheddar sandwiches and roasted red pepper with hummus sandwiches, toss the sandwiches into a tote bag filled with frozen bottles of water, and head to the beach in Coney Island for a simple day at the beach. Coney Island holds a special place in my heart. My parents would take my brothers and I to Coney Island to ride the rollercoasters as kids and enjoy some carnival eats. Thinking about Coney Island brought back memories of childhood days spent running across the hot sand burning at the bottom of my feet. I remember chasing the ocean waves with excitement and watching the waves rise and fall. When I got tired of chasing waves, I would pull out a blanket, the sandwiches I packed, and my lovely lemon bars. The sandwiches always did their job in helping satisfy my hunger, but what I always looked forward to were the lemon bars. There was just something refreshingly delightful about lemon bars. The moment I bite into the lemon bars, I could taste the buttery crumble of the short crust on the bottom before reaching the best part – the tangy lemon curd filling on top. I love the contrast of the buttery, slightly salty short crust paired with the sweet and tangy lemon curd topping. The lemon bars definitely hit the spot as a cooling, refreshing treat to help offset the summer heat. With summer days winding down this year, I decided to put a spin on the lemon bars I typically make by creating a lime version. While testing out my lime bars, I thought about what would pair nicely with lime and coconut immediately came to my mind. Thus, my experiments with making the perfect lime and coconut bars began. I started by testing out different ratios of ingredients for my short crust dough. I wanted the bottom of the bars to be buttery, crumbly, and melt-in-your mouth. Once I got the ratios for the short crust down, I started experimenting with the lime curd topping. The lime curd topping was a bit tricky to get right. Pouring the filling directly into the cooked short crust resulted in eggy bars. After a few tries, I realized cooking the curd before pouring the curd on top of the cooked short crust was the best way to get the perfect lime and coconut bars. Once I made the pivot, my lime and coconut bars turned out perfect. The next step was to test out my lime and coconut bars with friends. I brought them along to a small gathering a couple weeks back, and the lime and coconut bars were a hit. They were the perfect summer sweet treat to end a simple summer lunch.
For the lime and coconut bars:
For the coconut short crust:
· 1½ cups all-purpose flour
· 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
· ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
· ¼ cup granulated sugar
· ½ cup refined coconut oil
For the lime curd filling:
· 2 large eggs and 2 yolks
· 1 cup granulated sugar
· 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· juice and zest of 2 limes, separated
· confectioners’ sugar, for dusting onto bars (optional)
Directions:
1) Before beginning, line a baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2) To make the short crust, combine the all-purpose flour, unsweetened coconut flakes, kosher salt, and granulated sugar in a food processor. Pulse for 3-5 seconds. Pour in the refined coconut oil. Pulse for 10-20 seconds, until the short crust dough starts to come together. Transfer the short crust dough to the parchment lined baking pan. Gently press the short crust dough into the parchment lined baking pan. Chill the short crust dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. As the short crust dough is chilling in the refrigerator, preheat oven to 350°F.
3) Once the oven is done preheating, remove the short crust dough from the refrigerator and transfer the baking pan into the oven. Bake the short crust for 25-30 minutes.
4) As the short crust is baking in the oven, prepare the lime curd filling. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, and sugar. Add in the 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and lime juice. Heat a pot on medium heat. Pour in the lime mixture. Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the thickened lime curd from the stove. Fold in the lime zest. Let the curd rest.
5) Once the short crust is done baking, pour in the lime curd. Bake for another 10 minutes. Let the lime curd topped coconut short crust cool before cutting into bars. As an optional step, dust on some confectioners’ sugar right before cutting into bars.
Takeaways: I used clips to hold the parchment paper in place, which made it easier to pour the short crust filling into the parchment-lined baking pan. Leaving the parchment paper hanging out of the baking pan helped to remove the lime curd topped coconut short crust from the baking pan. I also chilled the lime curd topped coconut short crust in the refrigerator for a bit before cutting it into bars for cleaner cuts.