Lemony Lime Bars

Level of Difficulty: Relatively simple, but some effort required

Pots/Pans Used: 1!

Ingredients

filling:

14 oz can coconut milk

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup agave nectar (plus 1 TBL, optional)

1-2 TBL lime zest

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

crust:

8 TBL margarine

1 cup flour

1/4 sugar

pinch of salt

So this recipe came into my head when I decided I wanted to do a mojito spin on lemon bars. Of course, my first attempt was a complete failure. I tried to do a mint simple syrup on top, but it completely bombed. The flavors were right on, but the texture was all off (If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears). So I went back to the drawing board and got rid of the mint simple syrup and came up with these babies. I happen to be a huge fan of sour and tart flavors so I love these bars. For those that are wary of tartness, feel free to adjust the sweetness level to your own liking.

First, preheat the oven to 350. Using a mixer, combine salt, butter and sugar. Then add the flour and mix well. Take a casserole dish and line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Then flour your hands and press the crust dough into the casserole dish, making it come up the sides about 1/2 inch. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and then set out to cool completely.

For the filling, put the agave, coconut milk and cornstarch in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Whisk the ingredients until the cornstarch has been dissolved. Add the lemon zest and bring to a boil while still whisking vigorously. Once it begins to thicken, take it off the heat and add the lemon juice. Continue whisking to combine. The consistency should be similar to a thick yogurt or custard. Let it cool and then poor it over the cooled crust. Let it sit a while and once the outside has begun to firm up, you can lift the bars out of the casserole dish, lifting it out with the paper you lined it with. This makes it easier to cut into bars. You can sift confectioners sugar, decorate with lemon/lime slices and some springs of mint like so:

ENJOY!!!