Moscow Mule Lime Bars

This was intended to be a Mother's Day post, but alas, I am my mother's daughter: always late. (Though French Mother's Day is in June so let's just say I'm early for that one...) Living an ocean away from my family and especially in the time of corona, my go-to gift has become inventing a recipe for a specific person, inspired by their favorite flavors. So this Mother's Day, I decided to make a dessert inspired by my mom's signature cocktail.

My mom is a very loyal lady. When she finds something she likes, she sticks to it. And I mean really sticks to it. She suggests the same 3 restaurants when we go out to dinner and orders the same thing every time. She proposes the same movies for movie night and can quote them verbatim. She reads the entire Harry Potter series on infinite loop, occasionally spicing things up only when one of us gifts her a new book. She goes on the same vacation to the same beach every summer. When the grandparents sold the family beach house and we had to choose a new beach to go to (about an hour away), it was a small revolution. I'm not saying she's not adventurous or that she's incapable of trying new things; she just knows what she likes and doesn't have time to waste on potentially disappointing alternatives. She's a busy lady!

So you can imagine that when she discovered Moscow Mules, no one was allowed to drink anything else for quite some time. She had kits of copper mugs and, of course, a favorite ginger beer (Pickett's ginger beer syrup, in case you're wondering) which a family friend then gifted us an entire case of. Last I checked, we're still getting through it – I've certainly never seen any other kind of ginger beer at the house. She is now in her bourbon phase (always the same brand, of course), but when I visit home I still look forward to mom's Moscow Mule the way I imagine other [normal] people look forward to their mom's apple pie or meatloaf.

As I said, I am my mother's daughter. I share her mannerisms, her sass, her fiestiness, her talking too loud in a group, and we look rather alike, too. Once I was talking to her on speakerphone while cooking, and afterwards Laur remarked that it sounded like I was talking to myself. Her consistency is probably one of very few ways in which we are different: I am easily tired of the same thing, quickly restless in one place for too long (hence moving to another continent), and I will happily fling myself off the deep end to try something new. But it's Mother's Day–well, it was when I got this idea–so I will indulge the ways in which my mother is firmly set. I therefore present to you a Moscow Mule in the form of a dessert bar, with a spicy ginger base and a perfectly tart lime custard.

Let's hope my mom hates it, otherwise you know what we'll be eating at every picnic for the rest of our lives.

(Just kidding, mom – love you!!)

Ingredients

For the crust:

256 g (2 cups) flour

61 g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar

227 g (1 cup) butter - melted

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

55 g (about 1/2 cup) crystallized ginger - finely chopped or ground in food processor

Pinch of lemon powder (optional)

For the topping:

300 g (1 1/2 cups) sugar

32 g (1/4 cup) flour

4 eggs

180 ml (3/4 cup) fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 4 or 5 limes)

Zest of 2 limes (about 2 tbsp)

1 tsp fresh ginger - grated

Lemongrass - bottom 4 inches of 1 stalk, hard exterior removed, finely chopped

For a 9x13 inch pan

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 170ºC/350ºF.

2. Make the base: Combine flour, powdered sugar, salt, ground ginger, and lemon powder if using. Then mix in crystallized ginger, either chopped into very small pieces or ground in a food processor. Add melted butter and stir until dough comes together, making sugar the pieces of ginger seem evenly distributed.

3. Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easier removal. Press dough into the bottom to evenly cover the pan and bake until just starting to turn golden (but not yet browned) and cake-like, about 15-20 minutes.

4. In the meantime, make the filling: Whisk together all filling ingredients and let sit until the crust is baked. TIP: To avoid noticeable pieces of lemongrass in the bars, blitz it in the food processor with the sugar and lime zest before adding to the other ingredients.

5. Remove barely baked crust from oven and whisk the filling well before pouring on top of the hot crust. Put back in oven and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the top is solid and just starting to brown. It will have a jelly-like texture but should feel solid when you gently touch the top or try to jiggle it.

6. Cool completely and refrigerate until serving. Cut into squares as desired and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

And tell your mama you love her! xx