Here’s my piece
of advice for the day: avoid moving at all costs. It really stinks. It’s as
stressful as surgery and, just as honest doctors will they tell you to avoid being
cut open unless absolutely necessary, I suggest you avoid relocating your
domicile for the same reason: it may just kill you. That being said, I’ve
arrived in Florida, the Sunshine State, and so far, so good. Though many New
Yorkers turn their
collective noses up at the thought of living in a place
where residents ride their bicycles to pick up their prescriptions at the local
pharmacy, I say what’s not to love? The
weather’s amazing (though I may be singing a different tune towards the end of
August), people are unbelievably nice, and there’s always an early bird special
to be found. Paradise, non? Yes, life
here has its unpleasant moments –
this morning, for example, I found a dead
lizard floating belly-up in the pool – but mostly it’s a happy environment and
I embrace it.
In honor of my new
home I decided to make Key Lime Bars. To be technical, they should really be
called Persian Lime bars, as I couldn’t find any Key limes at my local Publix
supermarket (give me some time, already). But they are still quite
wonderful,
particularly topped with White Chocolate Whipped Cream. One bite, and you may
just feel a warm, poolside breeze brush your face as your stress floats away.
Just like the dead lizard. You may even find yourself smiling, though not as
brightly as I did when I realized I wouldn’t have to pay New York State taxes
anymore.
Makes 9 bars
Crust:
1 cup (136 g)
graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon
(12.5 g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons
(42 g) unsalted butter, melted
Key Lime Filling:
4 large egg
yolks
1 15-oz (425 g)
can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup strained
Key lime or Persian lime juice
1 tablespoon
finely grated lime zest
Pinch of salt
White Chocolate Whipped Cream:
4 ounces (113
g) high-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups (295
g) heavy cream, divided
Make the crust:
1. Position a
rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with
aluminum foil, so that it extends 2 inches beyond the short ends of the pan. In
a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted
butter and mix until well blended. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan
in an even layer. Bake the crust until set, 7 to 9 minutes. Place the pan on a
wire rack to cool while you make the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to
325°F.
Make the lime filling:
2. In a medium
bowl, whisk together the yolks until well blended. Whisk in the condensed milk
until blended. Whisk in the lime juice, lime zest, and salt. Pour the filling
over the prepared crust. Bake until the filling is set, about 15 minutes. Set
the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes.
3. Freeze the
bars in the pan for at least 1 hour before cutting.
Make the whipped cream:
4. Place the
white chocolate and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream in the top of a double boiler
over barely simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is
melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and separate the top of the
double boiler from the bottom. Let the chocolate mixture cool to room
temperature.
5. Pour the
remaining 1 cup of heavy cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with
the whisk attachment and beat at high speed until soft peaks begin to form.
Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. Whisk about 1/2 cup of the whipped cream
into the chocolate. Pour this mixture into the rest of the whipped cream and,
using a rubber spatula, gently fold it in. Do not overmix or the cream will
become grainy. Use the whipped cream immediately or refrigerate and use within
2 hours.
Serving:
6. Lift the
bars out of the pan by the aluminum foil ends. Remove the foil and cut into 9
bars. Serve chilled, topped with some of the White Chocolate Whipped Cream (or
plain whipped cream, if you prefer).
