Lime Meringue Tarts Food

LIME MERINGUE TART

Steps:

• For the Lime Filling1. 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 and egg yolks, 1 at a time, and then add the lime zest, lime juice, and salt. Don't worry; it will look curdled.2. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 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 on an instant-read thermometer. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature.For the Tart1. 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 shortening 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.2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.3. 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.4. Raise the oven temperature to 425°F.5. 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.6. 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.

LEMON 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 shortening 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 lemon 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 and egg yolks one at a time, and then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Don't worry; it will look curdled.
• Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until thick, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Whisk briskly when it starts to thicken and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Don't allow it to boil! It will be 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature.

LIME-MERINGUE TARTS

Steps:

• Whisk together egg yolks and eggs. Combine with sugar and lime juice in small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes, or until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon.
• Stir to cool slightly. Strain into small bowl; add butter, a piece at a time, stirring until smooth. Stir in zest; let cool completely. Cover with plastic; refrigerate until needed.
• Heat oven to 200 degrees. Trace three 6-inch circles on parchment; place, penciled side down, on 12-inch-by-18-inch baking sheet.
• Fill clean pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #12 plain tip with meringue, reserving about 1 1/2 cups; pipe out meringue, starting in center of each circle, spiraling out to circleâ??s edge. Create 1-inch-tall wall of meringue peaks by piping along outside of circle using same tip to create smooth peaks, or change tips for a more decorative edge. If making bite-size tarts, follow above spiraling process on sixteen 2-inch circles, creating 3/4-inch wall.
• Place the baking sheets in the oven, and bake about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 175 degrees, and bake 40 to 60 minutes more until meringue is dry and crisp but still white. Let stand to cool completely on baking sheets. The shells can be packed in airtight containers and stored for several weeks in dry weather.
• Heat oven to 475 degrees. Fill cool meringue tarts with chilled lime curd. Rewhip remaining meringue on high speed until stiff, about 5 minutes. Fill pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #5 star tip; pipe a ring of decorative peaks on top of lime curd. Bake until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

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.

KEY LIME MARSHMALLOW MERINGUE TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, almond paste, butter and sugar; press onto the bottom and up the sides of eight ungreased 4-in. fluted tart pans with removable bottoms. Place on baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks., In large bowl, whisk milk and lime juice. Pour into crusts. In a large bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add marshmallow creme, a tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over filling. Return to baking sheets., Bake at 325° for 15-20 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.