I saw a recipe for a lime bar that looked really easy and yummy. I love all things tart so I really wanted to try it. I then thought if a lime bar is good I bet a lemon lime bar might be even better. Then I thought that it is Easter time and it might be fun to dye the different layers yellow and green. Then I thought, and here’s where I went wrong, that it would be even prettier if I sprinkled it with powdered sugar and pink sugar crystals. Well the bars were delicious, the yellow and green layers were fun but the powdered sugar and pink sugar crystals were a total failure. When I first covered the bars it looked pretty but an hour later when I looked at them again the powdered sugar had all dissolved into the lime mixture and just left the pink crystals laying there looking pretty bad and sorta gross. Don’t worry I still ate them. So here they are. Give them a try, just leave off the topping (in fact I’m not even going to mention it in the recipe).
Lemon Lime Bars
adapted from Evil Shenanigans
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (best when prepared in a food processor)
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
zest of one lime
2 large egg yolks
1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk separated into 2 7oz portions
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
green and yellow food coloring
Preheat the oven to 350F and spray an 8″ square pan with butter flavored cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper that hangs over the edge of the pan by a few inches (so you can remove the bars from the pan more easily).
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and zest. Press into the prepared pan, pressing the crust mixture one inch up the side of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Once the crust is cooled in one bowl combine the 1 egg yolk and 7oz condensed milk until well mixed. Stir in the lime juice and 10 drops of green food coloring and mix thoroughly. It will begin to thicken slightly. In another bowl repeat the process using the lemon juice and yellow food coloring.
Pour the green mixture into the crust, making sure the filling reaches the edges and then carefully pour the yellow mixture on top of the green. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set.
Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least one hour, overnight is better. Pull the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares with a serrated knife. To make cutting cleaner wipe the knife with a damp cloth between cuts.
This is a great variation to combine both lemon and lime flavors!
Fun and springy! I love it!
Lemon and lime together and perfect for the warm weather!
i’d eat them with the pink sugar dissolved on the top!