Tag Archives: Citrus

Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars

Dessert, ,

These Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars taste just like your favorite Key Lime Pie, but are much more portable. They’re perfect for cookouts and backyard barbecues, or just because you’ve got extra limes sitting around waiting to be used up. They are rich, but refreshing because of the lime flavor. You’re definitely going to want to make these this summer!

Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars - The Archaeologist Bakes

I love Key Lime Pie, but I don’t love making it, storing it, and serving it. I wanted something with the same flavors, but easier to make and easier to serve. These crumble bars are the perfect answer. And because I really like a tart lime, I use regular (or Persian) limes. But feel free to use Key Limes if you prefer. They tend to be a little sweeter, so you won’t have quite as tart of a filling, although this one is fairly sweet to begin with.

Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars - The Archaeologist Bakes

As always, there are options if you want to change this up. As with most citrus desserts, feel free to change up the citrus fruit depending on your tastes and what you have on hand. Because the filling depends on the acid from the citrus juice essentially jelling the sweetened condensed milk, it may be a little softer set if you use orange juice, which tends to be a little less acidic. You can help that by adding in a bit of lemon juice with the orange to raise the acidity. And, as usual, feel free to add some finely chopped nuts of your choice to the crust, or even sprinkled on top before baking. Although I didn’t do it, you can certainly add a few drops of food coloring to match the citrus you are using. The filling stays pretty cream-colored without, which I am totally fine with. But everyone loves the look of a green Key Lime Pie, so color it if you prefer, or if you want it to be more obvious what the flavor is.

I used regular Biscoff cookie butter, to help mimic the flavor of a graham cracker crust, but if you have other cookie butters you want to try, go for it! Prefer a gingersnap crust on your citrus pie? Just add in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger to your crust mixture. If you don’t have any cookie butter, go get some! Or , use a neutral-flavored nut or seed butter instead. I would use almond or sunflower (unsalted), but I would stay away from peanut butter just because of the stronger flavor. You can also add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, especially if you don’t use the Biscoff cookie butter. That will also help mimic the graham cracker taste.

While these are portable because they are a bar, they should still be stored refrigerated. While they can sit at room temperature for a short time, they should be kept cool, so stick them in a cooler if you’re taking them to a picnic. You won’t have to worry about how to get them home, because they are sure to disappear fast! These are such a great twist on the classic pie. I hope you try it soon!

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 Key Lime Pie Crumble Bars
Servings
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Servings
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Instructions
  1. Combine flour, oats, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir until combined.
  2. Cut butter into mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Stir in egg and cookie butter. Mixture will still be somewhat crumbly.
  4. Press half of mixture into a greased 8" square pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
  5. While crust is baking, combine all filling ingredients.
  6. Pour filling onto hot crust, and crumble remaining crust mixture over top.
  7. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
  8. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
  • Use any citrus you like instead of lime. If using orange, add a tablespoon of lemon juice to increase the acidity and help the filling set.
  • Use any cookie butter you would like.
  • If you don't have cookie butter, use a neutral nut or seed butter instead. Consider adding a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to help replicate the graham cracker taste.
  • If you like a gingersnap crust on your key lime pie, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger to the crust mixture.
  • Add a few drops of food coloring to the filling if you'd like.
  • Add up to 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts to the crust, or sprinkle 1/4 cup on top.
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Summer Sunshine Coffee Cake

Breakfast, Dessert, ,

I have the perfect summer weekend breakfast treat for you today! Made from homemade biscuits and full of bright citrus flavors, it also makes a great afternoon pick-me-up, or even a light dessert. And it’s easy to make and comes together fairly quickly, making it great for last-minute or unplanned guests.

I got the inspiration from Paula Deen’s Orange Coffee Cake, but I wanted to make it a little more homemade. Instead of canned biscuits, I decided to make homemade angel biscuits, which are essentially a yeasted buttermilk biscuit. They are a little flaky and a little bread-y, and I think they are perfect in this application.

I also wanted to update the flavor slightly. I’m personally not a huge fan of orange flavor, but I thought mixing it with grapefruit would be a nice twist. I really like the combination in this cake. The two flavors complement each other well, without either being overwhelmed by the other. And the citrus really brightens up a cake that could otherwise feel heavy and rich. I finished if off with a cream cheese glaze, flavored lightly with grapefruit juice, since I thought that would be a little more subtle than orange, but you could use either one.

You could definitely change up the flavor with whatever citrus you love, or have on hand. I personally love limes, and think that would make a great cake. Blood oranges would make a fantastic winter cake. And can you ever go wrong with Meyer lemons? Use just a single fruit, or mix a few together to find your perfect cake.

I really hope you give this recipe a try. If you’re intimidated by yeast dough this is a perfect place to start, since there isn’t a ton of kneading. And if you really don’t want to use yeast or wait the short rise time, you can use your favorite biscuit recipe and follow the rest of the directions with that dough. However you make it, I know you’ll love it!

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 Summer Sunshine Coffee Cake
Servings
people
Ingredients
Biscuits
Filling and Topping
Icing
Servings
people
Ingredients
Biscuits
Filling and Topping
Icing
Instructions
  1. Combine yeast, warm water, and 2 teaspoons sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Grate cold butter into flour mixture (see recipe notes for tips), and toss gently to combine well and coat all pieces with flour.
  3. Stir in yeast mixture, sour cream, and milk and mix well. Dump onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until mixture is smooth and all flour is fully incorporated.
  4. Place into a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, approximately 30-45 minutes.
  5. While dough is rising, combine 1/2 cup sugar with orange and grapefruit zests and mix well. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and set aside.
  6. Once dough has risen, lightly punch down and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle with half of sugar and zest, then fold dough in half.
  7. Roll again lightly to 3/4-inch thickness. Cut out biscuits with 3-inch round cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Try to get as many out of the first roll as possible. Ideally you should get 7 to 8 biscuits with the first roll. Lightly press together any scraps and cut additional biscuits. You should have 9 in total.
  8. Place one whole biscuit, one from the second batch of cutting, into the center of a greased 9-inch pie plate or cake pan. Cut remaining 8 biscuits in half with a sharp knife, creating half circles. Place the 16 pieces around the center biscuit, slightly overlapping and with all cut sides facing the same way, like flower petals.
  9. Brush the top of the biscuits with the melted butter, and sprinkle with the remaining sugar and zest mixture.
  10. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.
  11. While coffee cake is cooling, make icing. Whisk together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add enough juice to make a thick icing that is just thin enough to be drizzled. Drizzle over cooled cake.
Recipe Notes
  • When grating butter into flour mixture, use full stick (8 tablespoons). Unwrap most of the way, and while holding the wrapped end, grate in 7 tablespoons. Save remaining tablespoon for topping.
  • Use any combination, or single flavor, of citrus zest and juice.
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