You’ve all (I assume) had lemon bars earlier than however right this moment we’re speaking about lemon bars’ vibrant twin…LIME BARS.
That’s proper, shortbread cookie flavored crust topped with an unimaginable, sweet-and-tart custard lime filling baked and chilled to perfection. These lime bars are the last word summertime deal with that’s assured to shock and delight your family and friends. Sure, they will simply be made gluten-free and dairy-free, too!
These lovely lime bars are simpler to make than you suppose, however take a little bit of time and care so you should definitely learn by the directions, any substitutions, and all of my ideas as you begin baking. I hope you like them as a lot as we do!
The whole lot you’ll must make these lime bars
These beauties are bursting with lime taste due to loads of recent lime juice, and have the right quantity of sweetness. Right here’s what you’ll must make them:
- Sweetener: you’ll want granulated sugar for the lime custard filling, and just a little pure maple syrup to sweeten the shortbread base.
- Lime: these bars pack loads of vibrant lime taste from each recent lime juice and lime zest.
- Eggs: we’re utilizing 4 complete eggs within the filling to assist obtain the custard-like texture.
- Flour: just a little all-purpose flour helps set the filling, and wonderful blanched almond flour creates the shortbread crust.
- Butter & oil: you’ll want a pair tablespoons of butter for the filling, plus just a little coconut oil within the crust to assist each set effectively with the correct amount of moisture.
- Meals coloring: if you wish to make the filling a festive inexperienced colour, be at liberty so as to add a couple of drops of synthetic dye-free inexperienced meals coloring! That is, in fact, elective.
- Baking staples: don’t neglect the vanilla extract and salt within the base!
- For topping: I wish to prime the bars with powdered sugar and additional lime zest for a fairly look.
Can I make them gluten-free?
Sure! Merely swap the all objective flour within the filling for 1:1 gluten-free all objective flour.
What about vegan or dairy-free?
You’ll be able to substitute the butter within the filling with vegan butter to maintain the lime bars dairy-free, however please observe that these bars can’t be made vegan as a result of I should not have an alternative to the eggs within the filling.
Easy methods to make the most effective lime bars
- Combine the filling. Begin by utilizing clear fingers to rub collectively the lime zest and the sugar in a medium pot to infuse the sugar with lime taste. Whisk the lime-sugar combination within the pot with lime juice, eggs, and flour till there are not any extra streaks of egg, then set it apart.
- Bake the crust. Combine the entire crust components in a medium bowl till a thick crumb texture varieties. Press it into an 8×8 inch pan lined with parchment paper, and bake till barely golden brown on the sides.
- Cook dinner the filling. Whereas the crust is cooking, place the pot with the filling over medium-low warmth and whisk continuously till the combination thickens. Take away it from the warmth, then pour the filling by a sieve over a medium bowl and mash it by the strainer with a spoon.
- Bake the bars. Stir the butter into the nice and cozy filling till melted, and add your meals coloring (if utilizing). Pour the combination over the nice and cozy crust and unfold evenly with a spatula. Bake bars till the filling is ready and barely jiggly.
- Cool (then cool once more). Let the bars cool to room temperature for 1-2 hours, then refrigerate for at the least 2 hours.
- Prime & serve. Mud the bars with powdered sugar and sprinkle further lime zest in the event you’d like, then slice utilizing a clear, sharp, moist knife and serve!
Don’t neglect these useful ideas
Lemon and lime bars generally is a little bit difficult due to how mushy the filling is, however with these simple ideas you’ll have excellent lime bars each time:
- Use the fitting pan. Make sure you use an 8×8 inch pan, not 9×9, as a result of 9×9 will likely be create bars which are too skinny.
- Whisk the eggs utterly. If you whisk your eggs into the filling combination, be sure to take action till there are not any white streaks. In any other case, chances are you’ll find yourself with white streaks within the bars after they’re baked.
- Add the filling to WARM crust. Don’t let the crust cool to room temperature earlier than including the filling, in any other case the filling might seep into the crust and items of the crust might float into the filling layer.
- Don’t overbake. Overbaking the lime bars might trigger them to crack on the tops.
- Cool, then refrigerate. Make sure you cool the bars utterly to room temperature earlier than refrigerating them. In any other case, the tops might crack from the temperature change.
The important thing to slicing lime bars
As a result of the filling in lime bars is mushy, you’ll wish to slice them into bars utilizing a pointy, moist knife (as I discussed). Clear and moist the knife after every slice to make sure that the bars lower cleanly!
Beneficial instruments for this recipe
See extra of our go-to kitchen necessities right here!
Easy methods to retailer & freeze lime bars
- To retailer: place leftover lime bars in an hermetic container and place within the fridge for as much as 4 days. In case you are stacking the bars, add a sheet of parchment paper in between the layers to stop sticking. You’ll seemingly want so as to add extra powdered sugar on prime of the bars earlier than serving as it might dissolve into the bars within the fridge.
- To freeze: wrap the bars effectively and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container earlier than placing them within the freezer and easily allow them to thaw within the fridge earlier than having fun with. They need to keep good within the freezer for as much as 2 months.
Extra bars & brownies you’ll love
Get all of my bar recipes right here!
I hope you like these vibrant lime bars! If you happen to make them you should definitely go away a remark and a score so I understand how you favored them. Get pleasure from, xo!
The
Formidable Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Generally Indulgent, and Completely By no means Boring Recipes for Each Meal of the Day
Vibrant lime bars with a scrumptious shortbread base and a superbly candy and tart lime custard filling. These lovely lime bars can simply be made gluten-free and dairy-free, and are further particular with just a little powdered sugar and lime zest on prime. The final word summer season deal with!
Elements
- For the lime base:
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime zest
- ½ cup (100g) recent squeezed lime juice (you’ll want 6 to 10 limes, relying on how large the limes are)
- 4 massive eggs
- ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour*
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (or vegan butter), at room temperature
- 1 to 4 drops of synthetic dye-free inexperienced meals coloring (elective, to get a brilliant inexperienced colour)
- For the shortbread base:
- 1 ½ cups (168g) wonderful blanched almond flour
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or sub melted vegan butter or common butter)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- For serving:
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Further lime zest, elective
Directions
-
Preheat the oven to 350 levels F. Line an 8×8 inch sq. pan (DO NOT USE 9×9 inch as it is going to be too large). NOTE: It’s necessary to make use of an 8×8 inch as a 9×9 inch pan could also be too large.
-
In a medium pot, add the sugar and lime zest and use clear fingers to rub the combination collectively for about 30 seconds so the lime releases into the sugar and infuses it with taste. Subsequent, add the lime juice, eggs, and flour and whisk collectively till the combination is effectively mixed and no streaks of egg stay. Don’t add within the butter or meals dye but. Set the pot apart.
-
In a medium bowl, add the almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt. Combine along with a fork till it varieties a pleasant thick crumb texture. Add to the pan and use your fingers to evenly press down into the pan. Bake for 8-9 minutes till the crust is barely golden brown on the sides. Take away from the oven and put aside to chill for five minutes. Hold warmth within the oven.
-
Whereas the crust cooks, place the pot over medium-low warmth and whisk continuously till the combination thickens and coats the again of a spoon, about 6 to eight minutes. As soon as the combination has thickened, take away from warmth.
-
Place a sieve (wonderful mesh strainer) over a medium bowl. Pour combination into the sieve and use a spoon to work and mash down the filling by the stainer.
-
Within the bowl with the nice and cozy lime filling, stir within the butter till melted and some drops of inexperienced meals dye to realize a vibrant inexperienced colour, if desired. Instantly pour the combination over the nice and cozy crust and tilt the pan or unfold with a spatula to evenly distribute the lime filling. Place the pan again within the oven and bake for one more 8 to 11 minutes till the filling is ready and barely jiggly when the pan is gently shaken.
-
Enable bars to chill at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, then switch to the fridge and chill for at the least 6 hours or as much as 2 days.
-
Mud with powdered sugar and lower into 16 bars utilizing a clear, sharp, moist knife. Clear and moist the knife after every lower. Annoying, but it surely helps to get the right lower! Add just a little further lime zest on prime if you need just a little further zing.
-
To retailer: Place leftover bars in an hermetic container and place within the fridge for as much as 4 days. In case you are stacking the bars, add a sheet of parchment paper in between the layers to stop sticking. You’ll seemingly want so as to add extra powdered sugar on prime of the bars earlier than serving as it might dissolve into the bars within the fridge.
Recipe Notes
*To maintain bars gluten free: Use a gluten free 1:1 all objective flour instead of common all objective flour within the lime custard combination.
Diet
Serving: 1lime barEnergy: 173calCarbohydrates: 18.5gProtein: 3.8gFats: 10gSaturated Fats: 4.1gFiber: 1.3gSugar: 14.6g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Formidable Kitchen | Pictures by: Eat Love Eats