WHITE CHOCOLATE KEY LIME BARS

Friends invited us out to their dock on the lake, for a fabulous fish fry. I was so very excited - fish caught that very morning, prepared that afternoon, right beside the water that produced them - heavenly.
Served with the perfect accompanying sides and a good measure of companionable conversation, it could not have been a better time.
I offered to bring dessert, and thought these lovely tangy bars would round out the menu nicely - even though we were beyond satiated, we managed to fit in a bite and enjoyed a sweet ending to a sweet afternoon.

WHITE CHOCOLATE KEY LIME BARS

CRUST
2 cups gingersnap crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Heat oven to 350F.
Combine all ingredients into a 9 by 13 baking dish lined with foil that extends 2 inches beyond the short end of the pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, remove from oven, then reduce oven temperature to 325F.

LIME FILLING
1 egg
4 egg yolks
2 (15 ounce) cans of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of freshly squeezed key lime juice
1 teaspoon of freshly grated lime zest
pinch of salt

Whisk all the 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.

WHITE CHOCOLATE TOPPING
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces of white chocolate, chopped

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. Poor the cooled white chocolate topping over the chilled bars and spread into an even layer. Chill until topping is cold.
Garnish with toasted macadamia nuts and cut into bars.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Food Network
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/white-chocolate-key-lime-bars-recipe/index.html