Lemon Lime Tartlets
Sweet and tangy lemon-lime curd tartlets with crisp, sweet tart shells, which can be garnished with desiccated coconut or sliced almonds.
Ingredients
large lemons
2 to 3
large limes
2 to 3
sugar
1 cup
unsalted butter (cut into 10 pieces)
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks)
large egg yolks
8
tartlet crusts (baked, made from Sweet Tart Dough or Nut Tart Dough with almonds, unmolded, set on a jelly-roll pan)
24
Toasted sweetened coconut or sliced almonds (for finishing)
Instructions
1
Step 1
Using a sharp vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons and limes, avoiding the white pith underneath. Place the peels in a medium enameled cast-iron saucepan.
2
Step 2
Squeeze and strain the juice from the lemons and limes, reserving it. Measure slightly more than 1/3 cup of juice into a measuring cup, for a total of 1 cup. Add the juice and sugar to the saucepan.
3
Step 3
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and let the peels steep in the juice for 5 minutes. Skim out and discard the peels with a slotted spoon.
4
Step 4
Add the butter to the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat.
5
Step 5
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl to break them up. Whisk about 1/4 of the hot liquid into the yolks.
6
Step 6
Return the remaining liquid to a full simmer over low heat. Begin whisking and pour the yolk mixture into the simmering liquid in a thin stream—don't go too slowly; the pouring should take only a few seconds.
7
Step 7
Switch to a heatproof spatula and stir the curd constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan, until thickened, about 5 minutes. It will thicken noticeably but won't become extremely thick—most of the thickening occurs as it cools.
8
Step 8
Scrape the curd into a glass or stainless steel bowl and press plastic wrap directly against the surface. Refrigerate the curd until completely cooled and thickened.
9
Step 9
To serve, spoon a generous teaspoonful of curd into each baked tartlet shell. Do not stir or shake the curd before filling the shells, as it may liquefy. Sprinkle a small pinch of toasted coconut or sliced almonds over the curd.
