Coconut Lime Squares

I  was trying to think of a good Summer cookie/bar recipe for picnics and beach trips and started looking through some of my favorite online recipe sites.  I found these easy, fast
coconut and lime bars at Christmas-Cookies.com (originally from Better Homes and Gardens Homemade Cookies Cook Book). I save so many great recipes from my favorite food bloggers and online recipe sites that finding something new and fun to make is never very hard!

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

*  1-1/2  cups sweetened coconut flakes (I used unsweetened, organic because that is what I had in the pantry)
*  1  box white cake mix  (I used a lemon cake mix because, again, I had it in the pantry!)
*  1/2  cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Topping:

*  2  cups granulated sugar
*  1/2  cup all-purpose flour
*  1  teaspoon baking powder
*  4  large eggs
*  1  tablespoon freshly grated lime peel
*  1/3  cup fresh lime juice
*  1/3  cup fresh lemon juice
*  confectioner’s sugar

Mazie watches for cat burglars while daddy pours the topping..........

Prep:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil, letting ends extend above top.  Spray lightly with cooking spray.

2.  To make the crust, spread coconut on a baking sheet.  Bake 8 minutes, stirriin once, until lightly toasted.  Let cool.  In a food processor, pulse together cake mix and melted butter until evenly moistened and crumbs form.  Stir in coconut.  Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan.  Bake 10-12 minutes until crust just begins to lightly brown on edges.

3.  To make the topping, whisk sugar, flour, and baking powder in a large bowl to combine.  Whisk in eggs, lime peel and juices until well blended.  Pour over hot crust.

4.  Bake 25 minutes or until topping is golden brown and set.  Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
5.  When thoroughly cool, remove from pan (using excess foil on ends as handles) and place on cutting borard.  Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares.

The upper right hand corner will be eaten quickly!

Makes about 32. (That’s what the recipe states, but I an not a dainty cutter – I got 24).

Tips:

Allow sheet to cool completely before removing from pan and cutting.  I would stick to the white cake mix – the lemon cake mix was a bit of overkill!  The longer these set, the less “fragile” they are.

Image of Limes and Coconuts (top) courtesy of :
Canterbury Horticultural Society, Christchurch, NZ
http://chsgardens.co.nz/2010/11/.