Salted Margarita Bars

Sep 23

Sep 23 Salted Margarita Bars

I'm not sure if I've shared my love for Margaritas on this blog yet…my affection for the Margarita runs deep. For inquiring minds, my preferred sipping margarita is a slightly spicy version made with mezcal, jalepeno, tajin on the rim, served on the rocks. Always on the rocks. If you're in Los Angeles, the bartenders and Petty Cash and Mercado LA make excellent, if expensive, ones.

All that being said, I'll take a traditional margarita (on the rocks) quite happily, and that's the version that this edible cocktail of a dessert is based on. These tequila and Grand Marnier infused bars are a creamy, salty, boozy, citrusy treat that you keep in the freezer until you're ready to dig in. They're obviously an ideal spring/summer indulgence, but I'm sure would be appreciated on any bright, sunny day. I mean, is there ever a bad time for a Margarita?

The straightforward recipe is by Vaughn Vreeland for New York Times cooking. The crust is made of saltines, and buzzes together quickly if you have a food processor. Similarly, the condensed milk-based custard is baked in the oven, not over the stove, so it's one of the easiest custards you'll make. Just give yourself a little time because various stages of the recipe require cooling before you can move on.

Salted Margarita Bars Recipe:

Find it on New York Times Cooking:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022342-salted-margarita-bars

Yield:
16 squares

Difficulty:
Easy. Super easy if you have a food processor.

I think you could easily take this recipe and make other cocktail based bars out of it. Certainly my mezcal preference would be an easy substitution, but maybe a Pina Colada Bar with pineapple juice and rum would also be fun. You could add some shredded coconut to the crust or sprinkle on top. Or a swap out the tequila for gin, lemon juice for the lime and top it with some cherries out of the oven for a Sloe gin fizz bar. Maybe some vanilla wafers in the crust instead of saltines. So many options. First, give the original a try though!