Lemon Lime Bars with Mint
Move over lemon bars, there's a new flavor in town! Using the fresh flavors of lemon, lime, and mint, these easy Lemon Lime Bars take lemon squares to a whole new level. Sweet and tart with a hint of mint, enjoy this burst of citrus sunshine on a plate!
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Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to to 325 °F. Lightly coat a 9- x 9-inch baking pan with baking spray. Line the baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper placed perpendicular to each other, covering all four sides and leaving a 2-inch overhang. If desired, use binder clips to keep the parchment paper away from the curd while baking. Just clip them to the sides of the pan. Set aside.
Make the shortbread: In a medium bowl, mix ½ cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled), ¼ cup granulated sugar, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour and stir to combine.
Transfer the shortbread dough into the prepared baking pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan, making sure to get the dough all the way into the corners. Covering the dough with plastic wrap and rolling it out with a pie roller helps. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes.
Par-bake the shortbread for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Pierce the top it lightly with a fork (don’t go all the way through), then let the crust cool on a wire rack.
Make the mint sugar: While the shortbread is baking, put 1 cup granulated sugar and ½ cup fresh mint in a small food processor and pulse until they’re finely blended.
Make the lemon lime curd filling: In a small bowl, sift together ¼ cup all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat 4 large eggs and 1 large egg yolk until just combined. Add the mint sugar, flour mixture, ⅓ cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1 tablespoon zest (lemon and lime), and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and whisk until just combined.
Remove the par-baked shortbread from the oven and pierce the top it lightly with a fork (don’t go all the way through). Pour the curd filling onto the warm crust. Tap the pan a couple of times on the counter to release the trapped air.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the center is set and doesn’t jiggle when the pan is tapped. Turn off the oven a couple of minutes before the filling is entirely set. Crack the oven door and allow the bars to cool gradually for 1 hour.
Remove the bars from the oven and cool to room temperature, then chill for 1 hour.
Use the parchment paper as a sling to transfer to a cutting board. Cut the slab into 16 squares. It’s best to dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts to get neater squares.
Using a fine mesh strainer, generously dust the bars with powdered sugar right before serving. The bars are best served chilled, and dusting them with the powdered sugar just before serving helps to keep it from melting away.
Storage instructions: Store the bars in the refrigerator for up to a week. They also can be frozen, cut into squares but without the powdered sugar dusting, for up to 4 months. Wrap the frozen lemon and lime squares in plastic wrap and store in an airtight bag. Thaw in the refrigerator for an hour or two, then dust with powdered sugar and serve.