KEY LIME COCONUT BARS

Key lime pie is my favorite dessert. Tart and creamy, cool and refreshing, it’s the perfect hot-summer-day confection. These bars feature a shortbread-like crust chock-full of crunchy coconut topped with a smooth, creamy key lime custard—summer’s perfect pie made into a no-fork-needed bar.

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, plus more for garnish

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup powdered sugar

10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

Egg yolks from 6 large eggs

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

4 teaspoons grated key lime or regular lime zest, plus more for garnish

1 cup key lime juice (about 2 pounds of key limes)

Makes 24 bars

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spread the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast it until it is golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes to ensure even browning. Remove the pan from the oven, and transfer the coconut to a plate to cool.

3. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, and 1 cup toasted coconut. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Press the mixture into a 9 × 13-inch pan, and bake until the crust is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly.

4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat together the egg yolks and condensed milk with a whisk until thick. Gradually beat in the lime zest and juice.

5. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the cooled crust, and bake the bars until they are just hot, about 6 to 8 minutes.

6. Let the bars cool completely, then chill them until you are ready to serve (at least 3 hours).

7. Cut into bars and serve chilled. Before serving, sprinkle with toasted coconut and garnish with lime zest, if desired.

MAKE IT AHEAD: Make these bars the day before serving, and store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container.