Cherry Lime Tarts
Seasonal produce is inspiration for culinary adventures. It tends to be the most flavourful. Mangos in late winter/early spring are bursting with freshness and flavour, as are pumpkins in late fall, watermelons at the height of summer, oranges in the middle of winter, and the earliest local spinach as early as April or May.
Limes crops must have been plentiful this year, as limes were 4/$1 at our local grocery store. I stocked up, planning for some Mexican delights for dinner that week, as well as lime in my water again. A couple of fiestas, and then siestas, later, there were still a few limes left on the counter, so my attention turned to dessert. Cherries pair with citrus beautifully, and so here's my version of a cherry lime tart.
Limes crops must have been plentiful this year, as limes were 4/$1 at our local grocery store. I stocked up, planning for some Mexican delights for dinner that week, as well as lime in my water again. A couple of fiestas, and then siestas, later, there were still a few limes left on the counter, so my attention turned to dessert. Cherries pair with citrus beautifully, and so here's my version of a cherry lime tart.
Recipe
CRUST
1/2 cup butter 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. coarse salt 2 large egg yolks 1/2 tsp. vanilla This is a great crust recipe; tender, buttery and slightly flaky, but if you need to save time, simply use 12 pre-made tart shells. Bake according to the package directions. FILLING 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 2/3 cup sugar juice from 3 limes (about 1/3 cup, maybe a bit less) 1/4 tsp. coarse salt 24 frozen, thawed cherries |
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter 12 muffin cups. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture is in pea-sized bits. You can use a fork for this, as I did, or a food processor, which is quicker, and requires less elbow grease, but requires more dish-washing later! Add the yolks and vanilla, and stir just until combined. Add a few drops of water, if necessary, to make the dough just stick together. Divide into 12 equal portions, gently pat each into a ball, then flatten into a thin disc to fit into the muffin cup. Press down lightly to fit the cup to the very top and even slightly higher, as it will shrink as it bakes. Bake about 20 minutes until lightly golden brown. Meanwhile, make the filling by whisking together all ingredients, except the cherries. Divide evenly amongst the 12 baked tart shells, top each with 2 cherries, and bake for 25 minutes. Cool completely. |