Lime Curd Food

LIME CURD

Steps:

• Finely grate the zest of 6 limes and squeeze the juice.
• Cut the butter (100g) into cubes.
• Lightly beat the eggs (4 eggs) and place them into a saucepan with the caster sugar (200g) and lime juice and zest. Mix together.
• Place the pan on the hob over a low heat. Whisk regularly until the curd has thickened. It should leave a coating over the back of the spoon when lifted out.
• Once thickened, remove the lime curd from the heat. Add the butter and whisk until the butter has melted.
• Pass your lime curd through a sieve to remove the pieces of lime zest.For best results, I recommend storing the curd with the zest left in and the passing it through a sieve just before using. This will allow the flavour to develop.

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

Steps:

• Combine yolks, lime zest, lime juice, and sugar in a saucepan. Whisk. Set over medium heat; stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Strain curd into a bowl. Add butter, a few pieces at a time; stir with wooden spoon until smooth.
• Lay plastic wrap directly on the curd's surface to keep a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Let cool; refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour. Store refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.

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.
• 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 warm lime curd and allow to set at room temperature. Once set, serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

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.

LIME CURD

Steps:

• Whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar, zest and juice, butter, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly; cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd; refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

LIME CURD

Steps:

• Place fine strainer over medium glass bowl. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat. Add sugar, lime juice, lime peel, and salt; whisk to blend. Add yolks and whisk until smooth. Return saucepan to medium heat and whisk constantly until curd thickens slightly and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across and instant-read thermometer inserted into curd registers 165°F (do not boil), 10 to 12 minutes (mixture will not be as thick as traditional curd but will resemble slightly thickened sauce). Pour curd into prepared strainer; discard solids in strainer. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and chill overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

MIXED-BERRY TIRAMISU WITH LIME CURD

Steps:

• Berries: Combine blueberries, raspberries, blackberries powdered sugar, and 1/2 cup water in large saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until berries are soft but still intact, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to large bowl; stir in lime juice. Cool to room temperature. Stir strawberries into berry mixture. Chill until cold, about 4 hours. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
• Syrup and Ladyfinger Layer: Combine 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, and lime peels in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour syrup into bowl. Cool to room temperature; discard lime peel.
• Using pastry brush, brush ladyfingers on both sides with syrup. Arrange in single layer in 13x9x2" glass baking dish, cutting to fit and covering bottom of dish completely. Pour chilled berry mixture over.
• Mascarpone Topping: Combine mascarpone and cream in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth and slightly thickened (do not overbeat or mixture may curdle). Add Lime Curd; beat just until blended. Drop mascarpone topping by large spoonfuls over berry mixture. Spread evenly, covering berries completely. Cover and chill at leaast 8 hours. Can be made one day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Lime Curd (MUST CHILL OVERNIGHT, SO PREPARE ONE DAY AHEAD): Place fine strainer over medium glass bowl. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat. Add sugar, lime juice, lime peel, and salt; whisk to blend. Add yolks and whisk until smooth. Return saucepan to medium heat and whisk constantly until curd thickens slightly and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across and instant-read thermometer inserted into curd registers 165 degrees (do not boil), 10-12 minutes (mixture will not be as thick as traditional curd but will resemble slightly thickened sauce). Pour curd into prepared strainer; discard solids in strainer. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and chill overnight. Can be made one week ahead, Cover and keep chilled.