Lemongrass Bars with Coconut Shortbread Crust

My friend, Suzi, is crazy about lemon bars, so I'm always on the lookout for a good bar I can make for her. When I came across this recipe for lemongrass bars in the March issue of Bon Appetit (the same issue I found the recipe for Fish Wrapped in Savoy Cabbage) I knew I had to try them.

The hardest thing about making these bars was having to lug out my food processor so I could pulverize the lemongrass with the sugar.  But other than that, this recipe was a breeze to make and I'll definitely be making them again!  The lemongrass filling was tart and delicious and the crust had just the right amount of chewiness.  Too bad Suzi wasn't around to taste these wonderful treats, but that just means I'll be making them again soon.  My plan is to exchange a batch of these bars for an invitation to her lake cottage!

It seems every dessert recipe I share involves coconut.  What can I say?  I am without apology!!  Coconut is one of my favorite flavors; from the milky juice to the moist, flaky flesh it is so versatile! 

Ingredients:

crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 T unsalted butter, room temperature

filling:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers peeled away, bottom white part only, finely chopped
5 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 large eggs
1/4 cup flour
powdered sugar

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Butter 13 X 9 inch baking pan.  Mix flour, coconut, powdered sugar, and 1/2 t salt together in a large bowl.  Using an electric mixer, add in butter and beat until well blended.

2.  Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan.  Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

3.  While dough is baking, place sugar and lemongrass in food processor and pulse until lemongrass is pulverized and mixed well with sugar.

4.  Add lemon juice and blend for 30 seconds.  Add eggs and process to blend briefly.  Add flour and a pinch of salt and process until smooth.

5.  Reduce oven temperature to 325.  Pour filling over crust and return to oven until filling is firm, about 25 minutes.

6.  Let cool.  Cut into squares and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Another really delicious coconutty dessert!

Today is my daughter's birthday.  One of her favorite desserts is coconut sticky rice with mango, the kind you can get at a Thai restaurant.  Although I'm a huge fan of sticky rice, I really love tapioca.  So, for my daughter's birthday, I decided to try a recipe using the flavors of her favorite dessert with tapioca.  It turned out YUMMY and was so easy to make!

I found the recipe in a Bon Appetit magazine from 2007.  Here is my edited version.

Process in a blender for 20  seconds
   2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
   1 inch piece of galangal, peeled and sliced
   10 Thai basil leaves
   6 fresh cilantro sprigs
   2 kaffir lime leaves OR 2 t grated lime peel
   1 stalk lemongrass, sliced

Bring to a boil and let steep for 20 minutes
   the above blended ingredients
   2 cups of water

Strain into a saucepan, add the following, and bring to a boil
   2 cups milk
   1/2 cup sugar

Stir in
   1/2 cup small pearl tapioca (not quick-cooking)

Return to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until thickened and reduced to about 2 1/4 cups.  (This might take 20 to 30 minutes)

Stir in
   1 can coconut milk

Refrigerate overnight.  (It will seem runny, but will thicken up overnight)

When ready to serve, scope into serving dishes and top with chopped mango that has been tossed with a little lime juice and some cayenne pepper.

Don't be put off by the unusual list of ingredients.  All these things can be found at any Asian market (like the ones on Calhoun St. in Fort Wayne.)  Galangal is a root that looks a lot like ginger root but it has a much paler skin color and is harder to peel.  Lemongrass is a grassy stalk with a tough outer coating.  Cut off the root and only use the white part along with the first little bit from the green section.  Kaffir leaves are the leaves off a special variety of lime tree.  The have a glossy sheen on one side.  If you can't find them, use lime peel.

Coconut Crème Brûlée

Talking about coconuty Filipino doughnuts the other day, brought to mind one of my all-time favorite desserts.  Anybody I have ever served this creme brulee to, has moaned in delight at the first bite.  I even had a vegan dinner guest suck one down and finger-lick the little custard cup after listening to everyone else around her moaning in pleasure. 

The custard is made with egg yolks, coconut milk, heavy cream, and coconut rum.  After the custards are baked and cooled, sugar is sprinkled on the tops and they are passed under the broiler.  The result is a delightfully crunchy crust which you break through to scoop out the silky, creamy custard.

I decided to make a batch of these for the family tonight.  One of the great things about this recipe is that it fills eight custard cups and there are only four in our family.  You do the math!  I had to think long and hard about sharing the recipe because I like be the only one who knows how to make these, but here goes....

1 c. sweetened flaked coconut (divided)
3/4 c. sugar plus 8 T
7 large egg yolks
1 14 oz can coconut milk
1 1/3 c. heavy cream
2 T coconut rum (such as Malibu)
1/2 t salt

Toast 1/2 cup of the coconut in a 350 oven.  (10 - 12 minutes stirring frequently)

Mix together 3/4 c. sugar and the egg yolks.

Bring the heavy cream, coconut milk, and coconut (both the toasted and untoasted) to a gentle simmer.

Gradually whisk the cream mixture into the egg mixture.  Stir in the rum and the salt.  Pour the mixture through a fine-meshed strainer. 

Fill eight custard cups and bake in a hot water bath at 350 until set (45 to 50 minutes).

Let cool.  (can do this a day ahead and hold in the refrigerator overnight).

Sprinkle a T sugar on top of each custard and place under broiler until sugar is melted and caramelized.

Refrigerate several hours before serving.

The only part I don't like in this recipe is straining out the coconut.  I hate throwing it away, so if anybody has a suggestion as to what I can to with it, let me know!