Lime and Lemon Mint Bars | Picture the Recipe

When life gives you lemons…you make Lemon Bars! And when you happen to have fresh mint you make…

The tangy and tartness of lemon with the freshness of mint is a classic combination of flavors and I happen to love both! So I thought, why not make lemon bars with a minty layer in between for the best of both worlds. The recipe, which I adapted from the side of a can of sweetened condensed milk, is more reminiscent of a creamy key lime pie rather than the traditional lemon bars you may be used to seeing, but it’s simple and delicious. I used both limes and lemons to give it that extra tartness that I personally like (feel free to use just lemons if you like it less tart). Needless to say they turned out awesome, if I do say so myself. Creamy, sweet, tart, minty and refreshing…the perfect Lime n Lemon Mint Bars. Here’s how you can make them…

Lime n Lemon Mint Bars Recipe

Ingredients:
8-10 Graham Crackers
1/2 Cup of All-Purpose Flour
1-2 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp butter (melted)
1 (14oz) can of Condensed Milk
2 eggs
2-3 lemons (zest & juice)
2-3 limes (zest & juice)
3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
green food gel (optional)

Method:
– Start with 8-10 Graham Crackers (I personally like the Honey ones, but any kind will do). Pulse them in a food processor till it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
– Then add 1/2 a cup of flour, a tablespoon or two of sugar and 3/4 stick (6 tbsp) of melted butter and pulse till the butter is incorporated and the crumbs start coming together.
– Line a rectangular or square cake pan with foil, overhanging the foil on the sides (so you can lift it all out easily when it’s done.)
– Pour the crumbs into the foil lined pan and press down with your fingers to pack it in there. Bake the crust in an oven preheated to 375F for 6-7 minutes.
– While the crust is baking, you can get started with the filling. In a blender, mix together a can of condensed milk with 2 eggs and the zest of 2 lemons. Blend on medium for around 2-3 minutes.
– Then pour in half a cup of lemon juice (around 2 lemons) and 1/2 cup of lime juice. (Zest your limes before you juice them and keep the zest aside). Pulse a 5-6 times to mix in the citrus juice. Then pour the filling out into a mixing bowl.
– Without washing the blender add around 3/4 cup of fresh mint leaves, the lime zest we kept aside earlier and blitz away.
– Then add half the lemon n lime filling mix to the blender and blitz till you have a nice green mix (you can add a little green gel food color for a more distinct color, if you want)
– Pour the minty green mix over the crust and tilt it around to spread it in a nice even layer. Pop it into the oven for 5-6 minutes so it sets slighly. You’ll see little bubbles in the top.
– Then take it out of the oven and pour over the remaining lime n lemon mix, tilting it to form a nice even layer over the green mint layer and bake for 10-12 minutes. Then let it cool and refrigerate for a couple hours to allow it to set completely.
– When you’re ready to serve, simply pull out the whole thing by the foil, place it on a flat surface and cut into neat little squares. If you want to get fancy, dust with some powdered sugar and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint!