WHITE CHOCOLATE KEY LIME BARS

White Chocolate Key Lime Bars image

Provided by Food Network

Categories dessert

Time 4h15m

Yield 16 bars

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 cups gingersnaps crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
4 large egg yolks
2 (15-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 cup bottled key lime juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
Pinch salt
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and press into a 9 by 13 baking dish lined with aluminum foil that extends 2 inches beyond the short end of the pan. Bake for 8 to10 minutes, remove from oven. Then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Pour the filling over the prepared crust. Bake until the filling is almost set, about 20 to 22 minutes. Cool the bars completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours, until chilled.
In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a gentle boil. Add the chopped chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate. Whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Set the topping aside to cool to room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cool. Pour the cooled white chocolate topping over the chilled bars and, using a small, offset metal spatula, spread it into an even layer. Freeze the bars in the pan for at least 1 hour before cutting.
Ginger Mint Syrup: 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger 1 tablespoon ginger liqueur, such as Canton 1/4 cup packed mint leaves
In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and candied ginger and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil until the syrup is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger liqueur and pour the syrup into a blender. Add the mint leaves and blend until the mint is finely chopped. Transfer the syrup to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
Garnish with: Mint sprigs Sweetened whipped cream White chocolate curls Candied lime peels Ginger syrup Chopped and toasted macadamia nuts