Lime Curd Tart Food

LIME CURD TARTS

Steps:

• Place sugar, lime juice, lime zest, egg yolks and a pinch of salt into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over low heat and whisk to combine. Using a spatula and stirring constantly cook the mixture. Cook until the mixture starts to thicken about 8 minutes. Add the butter and continue cooking until the mixture is glossy, smooth and thick. Remove from heat and strain.
• Place a piece of plastic wrap over the curd to prevent a skin forming on the surface.
• To make the pastry dough combine the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine.
• Chop the cold butter into small pieces. Add the butter to the processor and process until a crumbly sandy texture is achieved.
• Mix the two egg yolks with the whipped cream to combine.
• With the motor running add the whipped cream egg mixture through the feed tube. Process until the dough comes together in a ball.
• Note: due to variables in flour moisture you may have to add a little extra whipped cream to the mixture to get the proper consistency to form into a ball. If necessary add a teaspoon (5ml) at a time.
• Form the dough into a large log about 3 inch (7.6cm) diameter. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Cut the dough crosswise into 8 inch (.63cm) slices.
• Lightly dust the work surface and roll the dough a little less than 1/8 of an inch (.31cm). Press into the tart tins, and trim any excess dough.
• Repeat with the 7 remaining shells.
• Place the tarts on a baking tray and place into the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350F (176C).
• Using the tines of a fork, prick the crusts all over for even baking. Line each tart with foil and top with pie weights. (Note: if you dont have pie weights dry beans or un-cooked rice work just fine, as long as you dont mind parting with them)
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is just set. Remove the foil and place in the oven to cook a few more minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Place the now cooled lime curd into the individual tart shells.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Serve each tart with a sprinkle of berries and freshly whipped cream.

LIME CURD TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm. (Note: I prepared my pan with a little baking spray, just to be sure it wouldn't stick.).
• Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Remove the zest of 4 limes with a vegetable peeler or zester, being careful to avoid the white pith. Squeeze the limes to make 1/2 cup of juice and set the juice aside. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the sugar and process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar and lime zest. Add-- the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lime juice and salt. Mix until combined.
• Pour the mixture into a 2-quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. The lime curd will thicken at about 175 degrees F, or just below a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Fill the tart shell with lime curd and allow to set at room temperature. Once set, serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

LIME CURD

Steps:

• Whisk the sugar, 1 tablespoon lime zest, the lime juice and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk the whole eggs and yolks in a small bowl, then whisk into the lime mixture.
• Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it¿s thick like pudding, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until incorporated.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pushing it through with a rubber spatula. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming; let cool to room temperature. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon lime zest. Cover and refrigerate until completely set, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.

LIME CURD PUFF PASTRY CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425*F
• If puff pastry sheets are frozen, allow to thaw so you can unfold the sheets.
• Make Lime Curd if you have not done so already.
• Once puff pastry sheets are malleable, unfold puff pastry sheets.
• Cut each sheet at the crease marks to create 3 long strips per sheet. Then cut three strips across to create 9 squares. Repeat steps 4 & 5 for second sheet of puff pastry.
• Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray.
• Place one square of puff pastry in easy muffin cup. Gently press down to create a cup.
• Place a Tablespoon of Lime Curd in the center of each puff pastry cup.
• If you do not want the meringue topping, skip down to step #16
• Pour egg whites in a new VERY CLEAN bowl.
• Whip egg whites until big, glossy and smooth.
• Add cream of tartar and whip for 30 seconds more.
• While whipping, slowly add sugar about a Tablespoon at a time all sugar has been added.
• Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Scoop whipped Meringue on top of lime curd.
• Bake for 10 Minutes or until puff pastry sheets are puffed and golden and meringue is golden on the peaks.
• Remove from oven. Allow to cool then remove from muffin tin.
• Sprinkle any cups without meringue with powdered sugar.
• Devour! Store extras in an air tight container for up to 4 days.

FRESH LIME CURD

Steps:

• Place the sugar, butter, lime juice, lime zest in the top of a double boiler; stir over medium-high heat until butter melts. Mix 2 tablespoons hot lime mixture into the eggs and stir to blend.
• Reduce heat to medium until water simmers. Slowly whisk egg mixture into the lime mixture. Cook over the double boiler until lime mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly and spoon into a clean, glass jar. Cover and refrigerate.

LIME CURD AND TOASTED ALMOND TART WITH FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim.
• In a food processor blend almonds, sugar, and salt until almonds are ground fine. In a bowl toss almond mixture with cookie crumbs and butter until combined well.
• Sprinkle half of crumb mixture onto bottom of pan near rim, pressing evenly up side. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture onto bottom and press evenly over bottom, joining edge. Bake crust in lower third of oven 10 minutes, or until a deeper shade of golden, and cool on a rack.
• Make filling:
• In a heavy saucepan cook sugar, butter, eggs, and lime juice over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubble appears on surface, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately pour curd through a sieve into a bowl. Stir in zest and cool. Filling may be made 1 week ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap.
• Spoon filling evenly into crust and cover surface with a buttered round of wax paper. Chill tart, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 24.
• Make compote:
• In a bowl gently toss compote ingredients together and let stand 15 minutes.
• Remove side of tart pan and transfer lime curd tart to a plate. Serve lime curd tart cut into wedges with fruit compote on the side.

LIME PIE

Steps:

• Lime curd: Cook over medium heat: the sugar, butter, eggs, & lime juice, whisking until a mark holds (about 12 - 15 minutes). Stir in the zest & cool. Can be made up to one week ahead, kept in covered container.
• Crust: Mix crumbs, butter & sugar well. Pat into a 9 inch pie pan. Refrigerate until firm.
• Pie filling: Beat together: cream cheese, lime curd, lime zest, & lime juice. Whip the cream and powdered sugar. Fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture & then fold in the rest. Put into graham crust & chill.
• Garnish with whipped cream & lime slices.

CRANBERRY-LIME TART

Steps:

• For lime curd:
• Whisk lime juice and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in sugar and yolks, then add butter. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture simmers and thickens, about 8 minutes. Strain into small bowl. Mix in lime peel. Cover; chill overnight.
• For crust:
• Finely grind flour, sugar, almonds, and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla; cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture just forms soft moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using thumb, press dough up sides to extend 1/8 inch above rim of pan. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until golden brown, pressing with back of spoon if crust bubbles, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
• For cranberry topping:
• Whisk 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in heavy large saucepan to blend. Add sugar, honey, and five-spice powder, if desired. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil. Add cranberries; cook until mixture boils and berries just begin to pop but still maintain shape, occasionally stirring gently, about 5 minutes. Cool completely (mixture will thicken).
• For white chocolate cream:
• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water; whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Cool completely.
• Spread white chocolate cream into crust; freeze 15 minutes. Spoon curd over; spread evenly. Spoon cranberry topping by tablespoonfuls over, then spread carefully to cover completely. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Remove pan sides; transfer tart to platter. Sprinkle chocolate curls around edge of tart. Garnish with lime twists.
• *A blend of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, and pepper available in the spice section of most supermarkets

LIME CURD TARTS WITH SUMMER BERRIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry, tip the flour, butter and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and process until fine crumbs form. Add the egg and 1 tbsp cold water, and mix until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a sheet of cling film, wrap and chill for 20 mins.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface and line 8 individual 10cm tart tins. Set on a large baking sheet and chill again for 20 mins.
• Line the pastry cases with baking parchment (paper muffin cases are perfect) and baking beans, and bake blind for 10 mins. Remove the paper and beans, and bake for a further 10 mins until golden brown and crisp. Trim the pastry edges using a small, sharp knife.
• To make the lime curd, put the zest of 2 limes, all the juice, sugar and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the butter is melted.
• Stir in the eggs and continue to gently cook until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour the curd carefully into the pastry cases and sprinkle with remaining lime zest. Leave to cool.
• Prepare the fruits, halving the strawberries (if necessary) and mixing everything together. Whip the cream lightly. Set a tart on each plate with a spoonful of cream and heap of fruit on the side. Dust with icing sugar before serving.