I'm on a Key Lime kick!
It's such a perfect summer fruit. They're tangy, fragrant and so flavorful. I purchased a bagful from Fresh Direct and set out to make some sweet treats for the weekend. I started off with some Coconut-Key Lime Ice-Cream with a Graham Cracker Crust. So simple and so refreshing.
(Side note: this ice-cream maker is by far the best investment I've made this summer. Not only have I saved money from not buying the $6 pints but I've made healthier alternatives and created flavors that can't be found in stores.)
Coconut-Key Lime Ice Cream
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (about 13.66 oz)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed Key Lime juice
• zest of 2 Key Limes
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1/2 cup graham cracker - finely ground
In a sauce pot, bring coconut milk and sugar to a boil. Let cool. Add Key Lime juice and zest. Put in ice-cream maker for about 30-35 minutes. Fill a serving cup with about 1/2 inch of graham cracker. Spread ice cream on top and serve with a thin Key Lime wedge.
While the ice-cream was churning away, I used the last of my Key Limes to make Key Lime Bars – with a recipe I found on Martha Stewart.
Key Lime Bars (From Martha Stewart)
• 1 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons finely ground graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
• 2/3 cup fresh Key lime juice (about 23 Key limes total)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 Key limes, thinly sliced into half-moons
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.
