Well Hello Readers… I hope you are ready for Christmas because we are only 2 days away!   As my sisters use to say when we were little, Merry Christmas Eve Eve (our favorite day!)

Two Turtle Doves,  or two Coconut-Lime Bars.  Easy choice right?  I sort of don’t like that the cookies amounts are so low now , you are sort of feeling jipped because you were getting 4-12 of all the other cookies.  Don’t worry you can have more than two of these bars if you make them,  I won’t tell anyone!

I am so ready for Christmas break,  I need a little bit of a break after this season.   I think I am going to take a little break in baking J. Don’t worry though, of course not before I reveal the last type of cookie tomorrow. Tomorrow’s cookie is the Christmas classic- which is fitting because my mom, my sisters and I made this type of cookie every year on Christmas Eve.  Ahh the memories- have I mentioned that I love Christmas.

The coconut-lime bars are my replacement for the usual coconut macaroon; since I love my mom’s macaroons more than my own (I don’t have the patience for egg whites).  These bars are yummy plus the addition of lime zest is a nice twist.

Coconut-Lime Bars

Ingredients
1 stick of unsalted butter melted
½ cup light-brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
Zest from 1 lime
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 package (7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Butter a 9 inch square baking pan, then line with parchment paper, letting 2 inches hang over on 2 sides. Then butter parchment paper.   In a bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/3 cup of white sugar.  Next add in 1 egg, continue to whisk until combined and smooth.  Stir in 1 cup of flour, salt, nuts, and lime zest.  Spread out evenly on parchment paper in baking pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until dough is set and lightly golden.

In another bowl, whisk together 2/3 cups of white sugar, 2 eggs, and vanilla.  Reserve ½ cup of coconut for topping, and stir in remaining coconut to the mixture along with the remaining 1 cup of flour.  Once the base layer is out of the oven, spread the egg/coconut mixture on top and spread out.  Top with remaining ½ cup of coconut.  Place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden (a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs attached.) Once out of the oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool.  Once cooled, pull the two sides of parchment paper and lift cake out of the pan and onto a cutting board.  Cut into bars (about 24 to 30 bars).

Source- Adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food- December 2011 edition

Enjoy!

-K