Lime Caramel Recipes

COCONUT CREAM PIE WITH SALTED LIME CARAMEL

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Drizzle in the yolk and pulse until the mixture reaches a cornmeal-like consistency. Remove from the processor and gently divide the dough among six 6-inch pie tins. Gently press the dough into the tins and up against the edges. Poke the bottom of the crusts a few times with a fork. Butter 6 squares of aluminum foil (large enough to cover the pie crusts) and press one, butter-side down, into each crust. Freeze until hard, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven, tossing once, until toasted, about 3 1/2 minutes.
• Bake the pie crusts in the oven until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool and then carefully remove and discard the foil. Set the pie crusts aside until ready to fill.
• For the coconut pastry cream: Bring the coconut milk and cream of coconut to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
• Add the sugar and cornstarch to the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk until combined, then add the egg and yolks and whisk on high speed until the mixture reaches a pale yellow color and it drops down like ribbons when you lift the whisk.
• Add a couple of ladlefuls of the hot coconut milk mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to temper the eggs, then pour all of the egg mixture into the coconut milk saucepan and return to medium heat. Whisk vigorously and constantly until the custard starts to boil and thicken.
• Place a bowl over an ice bath and strain the pastry cream into the bowl to remove any lumps. Place a layer of plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate over the ice bath until cool and firm, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Whip the heavy cream in a medium bowl until it reaches stiff peaks, refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the salted lime caramel: Add the sugar to a medium saucepan. Pour 1/4 cup of water and squeeze the lime juice over the sugar, swirling the pan to fully moisten. Cook over medium-heat until bubbling and deep amber in color, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, carefully whisk in the cream. Whisk in the butter piece by piece. Finish with a sprinkling of fleur de sel.
• For the candied key lime slices: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Make a simple syrup: Heat the sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Slice the key limes into 1/16-inch slices with a mandolin. Brush the slices with the simple syrup and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet making sure they do not overlap. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before using.
• For serving: Whisk the coconut custard until it is light and smooth. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Spoon the mixture into the pie crusts. Top with the toasted coconut flakes. Place a spoonful of the salted lime caramel on each plate and place a pie on it. Drizzle with more salted lime caramel and garnish with a candied key lime slice.

CARAMELIZED LEMON-LIME TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Roll out the pate sucre to a circle about 1/4 inch thick and large enough to slightly overlap a 9-inch metal tart pan. Fit the dough into the pan and trim the edges. Line the bottom and sides of the shell with parchment, or coffee filter papers, or aluminum foil. Fill the lining with dried beans, rice or aluminum beans, and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and remove the beans and the lining. Return the shell to the oven and bake until golden, 5 to 10 minutes longer.
• In a large metal bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, lemon and lime juice, and zests. Set over simmering water and continue to whisk until the mixture is very thick, about 10 minutes.
• Turn off the flame and whisk in the butter, a few pieces at a time. (You don't want the mixture to cool down before all the butter is incorporated.) Strain the filling into a bowl. Scrape into the baked tart shell and smooth with a metal spatula. Cool and then refrigerate until firm, 3 to 4 hours, up to overnight.
• Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the top of the filling. With a propane blowtorch, caramelize the sugar. (This can also be done under the broiler. Place the tart on the broiler tray directly under the flame, watching carefully to prevent burning). Refrigerate the tart for at least 30 minutes. Or, if desired, eliminate the 2 tablespoons of sugar and arrange circles of raspberries on top of the tart. Sift a little powdered sugar over the berries just before serving.
• Cut into slices and serve. If you have caramelized the sugar, serve the tart with fresh strawberries or raspberries.
• In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour and sugar. Add the butter and process until the texture resembles fine meal.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the yolks and 1 tablespoon of the cream. Scrape into the machine and process until a ball begins to form, using the additional tablespoon of cream, if necessary. Remove the dough from the machine, and on a lightly floured surface, press down into a circle. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

LIME CARAMEL

Steps:

• In a deep saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the brown sugar, cream, corn syrup, and salt for 2 minutes without stirring. The caramel will start to bubble rapidly. Then swirl the pan gently to stir the caramel (instead of using a spoon), continuing to cook until the bubbles get larger and slower, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the lime juice. Stir with a rubber spatula to combine.
• Transfer the caramel to a small bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Or cover the bowl and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (let it soften to room temperature before using it).

CARAMEL KEY LIME FLAN

Steps:

• Special Equipment: 9-inch cake pan or molds
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Caramel: In a heavy-bottomed pan, bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium heat Stir with a wooden spoon, until a pale brown color develops. Remove from the heat, and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour into the cake pan, evenly coating the entire bottom. The caramel is extremely hot, so be careful when pouring it into the cake pan or molds.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the condensed milk, the milk, the lime juice and zest, orange liqueur, and vanilla. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring throughout to combine flavors.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk together, then slowly temper into the milk mixture, constantly stirring the eggs into the warmed milk. Slowly incorporating the eggs will keep the eggs from scrambling. Pour milk mixture over the caramel in cake pan. Put the cake pan into a larger shallow vessel filled halfway up with water. Put the dish into the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
• Remove the flan from oven and let cool. Refrigerate the flan overnight. To remove the flan from the pan, put the pan into a shallow container with about 1-inch of warm water. Let sit for about 10 minutes, which will soften the caramel and make it easier to remove.
• Invert the flan onto a platter and serve.

LIME AND RUM CARAMEL CREAMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• In a small heavy saucepan stir together rum, water, and 3/4 cup sugar and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Cook mixture, without stirring, until sugar is dissolved and begins to turn golden caramel. Immediately divide caramel among six 1-cup ramekins, tilting them to coat bottoms evenly. (If caramel begins to thicken before all ramekins are filled, reheat it over low heat until just pourable.) Let caramel cool.
• In a large saucepan scald milk with cream over moderate heat. In a large heat-proof bowl whisk together whole eggs, yolks, and remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar until mixture is combined well. Add scalded milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly, and whisk in lime juice, zest, and rum extract. Strain mixture through a coarse sieve into a heat-proof pitcher or measuring cup (at least 6-cup capacity).
• Arrange ramekins in a baking pan just large enough to hold them and divide mixture evenly among them. Add enough hot water to baking pan to reach two-thirds up sides of ramekins. Carefully put a single piece of foil over all ramekins, tucking it loosely around them, and bake in middle of oven about 1 hour 10 minutes (custards should appear set when shaken). Remove ramekins carefully from baking pan and let creams cool. Chill caramel creams, covered, 6 hours or overnight.
• Run a thin knife around sides of caramel creams and gently shake them from side to side to loosen. Invert a dessert plate over each ramekin and invert caramel creams onto plates.

LEMON-CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and syrup is clear. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, occasionally washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Let syrup boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until dark amber.
• Remove from heat; whisk in lemon juice, liqueur (if desired), butter, and 2 tablespoons water. (Caramel will steam and spatter.) Serve warm.

COCONUT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the coconut flakes in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until light golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Brush an 8-inch baking dish generously with coconut oil or coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle about 3 to 4 tablespoons of toasted coconut in an even layer on the bottom of the pan, and set aside.
• In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the coconut cream, sugar, corn syrup and sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil, stirring frequently especially toward the end, until a candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees and caramel is a light golden brown and thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the ginger and cardamom.
• Pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Once the caramel stops bubbling and the surface forms a thin skin, about 3 minutes, sprinkle another 4 tablespoons toasted coconut across the surface. Allow to cool at room temperature and set completely, about 2 hours.
• Run a spatula around the sides of the baking dish, loosen and lift the caramel, and move onto a board or clean surface.
• Slice the caramel into 8 (1-inch-wide) strips, then across into 1/2-inch pieces, so you have about 72 caramels. Roll the sides of each piece in more toasted coconut. Wrap as individual sweets using 4- to 5-inch squares of parchment, wax paper, or cellophane, or use store-bought candy wrappers, twisting the ends to seal. Store at room temperature in a cool dry place. Caramels will keep stored at room temp for up to 7 days or frozen after wrapping for up to 1 month.