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Triple Citrus Bars

Author: Michelle De La Cerda
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Ingredients

Crust

  • 3/4 pound unsalted butter; cold
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 3 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons grated lime zest , minced
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest , minced
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange zest , minced
  • Pinch table salt
  • 1-14- ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice

Instructions

Crust

  1. Set out butter 20 minutes before beginning.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  3. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with butter.
  4. Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.
  5. Add the butter, that has been cut into pats, to the bowl and use a pastry fork to mix it all together until the mixture resembles sand or fine crumbs.
  6. Press into the prepared pan that has been lined with parchment. Use another piece of parchment to press the crust into the plan.
  7. Bake until golden around the edges, about 20 minutes.
  8. Keep oven on.

Filling

  1. While crust cools, in a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly combine the cream cheese, zests, and salt with rubber spatula until softened, creamy.
  2. Add sweetened condensed milk until no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolks. Take care all is mixed well.
  3. Add juices and gently whisk until combined (mixture will thicken slightly).
  4. Pour filling into crust; spread evenly to corners and smooth with rubber spatula.
  5. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  6. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours.
  7. Lift bars from baking pan using the parchment edges; cut bars into squares.
  8. Let bars stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before cutting.
  9. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if using, and serve.
  10. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; crust will soften slightly.

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated's "Triple Citrus Bars"