Lime Divine Tarts Recipes

LIME MERINGUE TART

Steps:

• Combine the flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Put the flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and Crisco and pulse about 10 times until the butter is in small bits. Add the ice water and process until the dough comes together. Dump on a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roll out the dough and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides. Don't stretch the dough when placing it in the pan or it will shrink during baking. Cut off the excess by rolling the pin across the top of the pan. Line the tart shell with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, butter side down, and fill it with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil and prick the bottom of the shell all over with a fork to allow the steam to escape. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
• Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
• For the meringue, whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until frothy. With the mixer still running, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until the meringue is thick and shiny, about 2 minutes.
• Immediately spread the lime filling in the cooled tart shell and pipe the meringue over it with a large star tip. Be sure the meringue covers the entire top and touches the edges of the shell, to prevent it from shrinking. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned. Cool to room temperature.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 1 minute. On low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, and then add the lime zest, lime juice, and salt. Don't worry; it will look curdled.
• Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until thick, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Whisk briskly when it starts to thicken and cook over low heat for a minute or two, whisking constantly. Don't allow it to boil! It will be 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill.
• Yield: 3 cups

LEMON TART WITH A TOUCH OF LIME

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse briefly until well combined. Add egg and pulse just until dough comes together. Dough will be rather soft. Wrap with waxed paper or plastic wrap, and press to make a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or it will be too soft to handle. (Make the dough up to 2 days in advance, if desired.)
• Remove dough from the refrigerator and let soften at room temperature until pliable and soft, about 15 minutes. Using your fingertips, press dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom, making sure it is pressed evenly across the bottom and up the sides, about 1/8-inch thick. Press the dough against the sides to the very top. Pinch off any excess and smooth the edge. You'll have slightly too much dough - save any left over to patch cracks after blind baking. Chill the tart dough in the pan until ready to bake. (You can also freeze it at this point, if you like, for up to a week.)
• When ready to blind bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet, and bake to a pale golden brown, about 30 minutes. (Pie weights shouldn't be necessary, but check the dough during baking, to make sure sides are not slumping. If so, press the sides back up with a wooden spoon.) For even browning, turn the tray halfway through the baking. Remove from oven, and cool to room temperature.
• Make the filling: Put lemon and lime zest, lemon juice, lime juice, sugar and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and mixture is hot, 4 to 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and yolks.
• Whisk the hot mixture gradually into the eggs to temper them. Then pour everything back into the saucepan and return to heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens to a milkshake consistency, about 5 minutes. (Do not overcook, or it will curdle.) Pour through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally. Mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. (At this point, you can continue with the recipe, or cover the filling and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)
• Spoon the lemon curd into the baked tart shell. Using a spatula, spread the curd evenly into the shell. Bake in a 350-degree oven until filling is set (not jiggly), about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. (This can be done several hours before serving.) Just before serving, top tart with lime zest and dust edges with confectioners' sugar, if desired.