Best Lime Meringue Tart Recipes

LIME 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 Crisco 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 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.
• 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, one at a time, and then add the lime zest, lime juice, and salt. Don't worry; it will look curdled.
• Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 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 F on an instant-read thermometer. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill.
• Yield: 3 cups

KEY LIME MERINGUE TART

Steps:

• For Key lime curd:
• Whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, lime juice, lemon juice, and coarse salt in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over medium saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk constantly until curd thickens slightly and instant-read thermometer inserted into curd registers 140°F for 3 minutes, 5 to 6 minutes total (do not allow to boil). Remove bowl from over water. Gradually whisk butter into curd a few cubes at a time until smooth, allowing butter cubes to melt before adding more. Strain curd through fine sieve set over small bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and chill overnight. DO AHEAD: Lime curd can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
• For crust:
• Using electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Add flour and salt and beat just until blended. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to 11- to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of pan. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch, then fold overhang in, forming double-thick sides extending 1/4 inch above sides of pan. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze crust 20 minutes.
• Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue to bake until crust is golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes longer. Cool crust completely in pan on rack. Spread curd evenly in baked crust. Chill while making meringue.
• For meringue:
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time; beat until meringue is very thick and glossy, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and coarse kosher salt.
• Spoon meringue in dollops atop curd, then spread and swirl decoratively with table knife. Using kitchen torch, brown meringue in spots, creating white and golden peaks and valleys. Chill uncovered at least 1 hour before serving. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
• Remove sides from tart pan. Place tart on platter and serve.

FRESH LIME TART WITH MERINGUE LATTICE AND GLAZED BERRIES

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Combine 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel and 1/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Add 1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter and cut in, using fingers or pastry cutter, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Beat 1 large egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water in small bowl until blended. Pour over flour mixture. Stir with fork until mixture forms moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Roll up dough on rolling pin and transfer to 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan; trim edges. Freeze until very firm, about 1 hour. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and keep frozen.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line frozen crust with aluminum foil. Fill crust with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set on edges, about 12 minutes. Remove beans and foil from crust. Continue baking until crust is golden in center, about 14 minutes. Transfer crust to rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature.)
• For Filling:
• Combine 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 cup whipping cream and 1/2 cup dry white wine in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in 3 eggs, 2 large egg yolks and 1 tablespoon grated lime peel. Place 1 tablespoon cornstarch in small bowl. Gradually whisk in 3/4 cup fresh lime juice. Add to mixture in saucepan. Stir over medium-high until mixture comes to boil. Continue to boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Cool mixture completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat remaining egg into filling. Pour filling into crust. Bake until filling is set and begins to bubble around edge, about 40 minutes. Cool completely. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 6 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated.)
• For Meringue:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine 1/4 cup water and vanilla bean in heavy small saucepan. Gently simmer until vanilla bean is tender, about 1 minute. Remove vanilla bean from water and split lengthwise. Scrape seeds from bean into water; return bean to water. Add 1/4 cup sugar to water and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until mixture is thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Remove vanilla bean from saucepan.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat 3 large egg whites, in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat mixture until medium peaks form.
• Gradually beat boiling syrup into egg whites. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Using rubber spatula, transfer meringue to pastry bag fitted with large plain or star tip. Pipe meringue atop tart in diagonal lattice design, spacing lines of meringue about 2 inches apart. Bake until meringue is golden brown, about 7 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead; refrigerate uncovered.)
• For Berry Topping:
• Combine 2 tablespoons crème de cassis, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel in small saucepan. Boil mixture until sugar dissolves and mixture is syrupy, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Cool slightly. Place berries in bowl. Pour crème de cassis mixture over. Toss to coat berries. Spoon coated berries decoratively among lattice openings. Garnish tart with mint leaves if desired.