Double Take: Key Lime Tarlets

"Key Limes! Pastry! I'm making it!" That was my reaction to reading the title to this week's Double Take: Key Lime Curd Tartlets. Yum. It just sounds good, doesn't it? How can you go wrong with these fabulous ingredients? Don't worry though, you can... just add water.

This recipe is also another one of those that is impossible to look up in the index: both tart and dessert leave you befuddled. I guess Pies and Pastries don't count as dessert. You can find this recipe on page 354 of the all-new ultimate Southern Living Cookbook, but I'm not sure why you'd bother. There have got to be better recipes out there.

The curd itself is relatively tasty and easy to make: combine butter, eggs, key lime juice (go for the bottled stuff, squeezing them yourself takes way too much time and effort), and butter. Heat until thickened, strain, stir in lime rind, chill 4-6 hours.

Tabitha and I failed to strain the curd (Did I mention we actually got to make this in the same country?! In the same kitchen?! At the same time?! Yipee!), but in the future I'll be straining my curds.

Photo courtesy of Tabitha

The pastry also seemed straightforward: pulse flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a food processor until combined. Add butter, pulse again. Then add water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition. Here the recipe was missing one crucial sentence: add only enough water to bring the dough together. The recipe called for 6 tablespoons of water. Tabitha added four, realized what was going on, and stopped. But it was too late. The pastry was a watery mess. If we hadn't been in such a hurry, we would have thought and added more solids to the mixture, but alas, we were in a hurry to get to lunch and weren't thinking straight.

Thoughts: The "pastry" took forever and a day to bake, but actually the ratio on the rest of the ingredients was right, so it tasted just fine. The key lime curd could have been tarter, but it was tasty as is. Nicely, after everything chills, you just have to put the pastry in the pan, bake it, and then spoon the curd on top. There you go, short, sweet, to the point for company. Just make sure you use the right amount of water. And strain your curd.

VERDICT:
Use-WAY-less-water-and-strain-the-curd: 1 vote
I-was-down-at-Foothills Brewing-when-you-served-it-so-I-didn't-try-it: 1 vote

Photo courtesy of Tabitha

We forgot to take pictures of the finished product, and pictures of lime curd are pretty boring, so you get pictures of our "helpers," Jack and Sookie, instead!

For Tabitha's view on the Key Lime Curd Tartlets, head on over to Double the Garlic!