07.19.2011 Tropical lime curd tart... made from backyard fruit trees
Fortunately for me, I have a friend, Cecile, with a huge persian lime tree. A few days ago she called and said their lime tree was just dripping with ripe limes and would I like some? Bien sûr! I would love some. So immediately my mind starts tick tick ticking about what tart to make next. We happen to have a giant mango tree and next door a papaya tree, so a tropical fruit tart was beginning to make itself.
So I headed out the door with my large bag and camera in hand and headed over to Cecile and John's house to claim my limes and photograph them in their natural habitat. It had just stopped raining when I arrived, so the limes were glistening with water droplets... it was lovely. However, every time we picked a lime we were showered by water from the leaves. Soaked and laughing, we headed over to her side yard were she showed me their "mini plantation" of banana trees. Apparently once planted they rapidly spread. The challenge is the multitude of bananas ripen all at the same time. Oh, what to do with so many bananas at once? Bake an abundance of banana bread and then what? The same plight I faced with my now defunct (hurricane Wilma) grapefruit tree... so much fruit all at one time. Alas, they were not quite ripe yet at the time of my visit.
The only fruit that I needed to add to my backyard harvest to complete this tart was the kiwi. I thought the green of the kiwi would enhance the yellow mango flesh and the coral papaya. Sometimes the inner decorator in me comes out to color coordinate my food. I could have easily stopped at filling the tart shell with the creamy lime curd... it was inviting in its simplicity.
Thanks Cecile and John for sharing all the luscious limes with me. I have my eye on your lemon tree now...
Tropical Lime Curd Tart
1 recipe lime curd (see below)
1 recipe pate sucree - basic sweet pastry dough (click here for printable recipe)
Assorted sliced tropical fruit to decorate the top of the tart (mango, papaya, kiwi, etc.)
Fill the pre-baked tart shell with the lime curd. Decorate the top of the tart with the sliced tropical fruit. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Lime Curd
Zest of 3 limes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
4 eggs
1/2 cup lime juice
one pinch kosher salt
Remove the zest of three limes using a carrot peeler. Put the zest and the sugar in a food processor and pulse until the sugar and zest are finely minced.
In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar/zest mixture and beat together. Add the eggs, lemon juice and salt and mix together until thoroughly combined.
Pour the mixture into a pan and cook over low heat while stirring constantly for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the curd starts to thicken. Remove from heat and cool. Using a rubber spatula and a sieve, push the curd through the sieve and into a bowl. This makes it very smooth. It will continue to thicken as it cools, especially in the refrigerator. If you are storing in a bowl, put a piece of plastic wrap directly on the curd so it will not form a skin. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
For printable recipe... click here.
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Reader Comments (21)
Can you bring this tarte on the plane to mich? What wonderful pics!I. I am drooling!!
Lisa,
I love your blog. I am truly looking forward to the Michigan edition. Please include Mike and one of his trout, capers and veggies with nice wine. Only kidding, you do such great work, I am truly humbled by your creativity.
Thanks,
Carl
I am drooling...............the tart looks gorgeous and so fresh!
Gorgeous photos and magnificent tart.
I have to admit I'm a little jealous of all that beautiful fruit just steps away from your door. What a fresh and tantalizing tart!
I love getting your emails. The pictures are amazing. So glad that Ginny introduced me to your blog. I am going to have to plan a dinner party just so I can make this tart.
Lisa, What beautiful photos and yummy sounding recipe! I so look forward to getting Tart du jour e-mails!!
Gorgeous! Can't wait to make this. :)
What a gorgeous tart! So vibrant and full of beautiful tropical flavours.
How lucky are you to have a friend with a lime tree! They are so expensive here at the moment.
you're such a decorator lisa...this tart looks sooo invitingly gooood!! i have to say that i am super jealous though...that you have access to such beautiful and fresh produce from your friends/neighbour's backyard...and banana in abundance?!?! (at the supermarket today, banana was $13/kg due to flood earlier in the year!) i want to move over there now ;)
Oh my. I have tropical fruit envy. What a beautiful tart!
Those limes look so vivdly green. And the tart is beautiful!
Very impressive!! Lime curd intimidates me but I'll have to give it a try... I know I'd love this!
wowww, ive never seen a more delicious looking lime tart in all my days! Im currently munching on a bag of lime flavoured sweets (lime lover here!) but i sure wish they would transform into a big slice of this right now :)
Ahhh that tart looks fabulous!! Lime curd...must be amazing! Living in the Midwest I can't even imagine growing my own bananas and limes...sigh... I do however have a quince tree, pear tree, and an apple tree. :)
I always admire the people who grow fruit trees so easily!! This tart is like summer! Reminds me that I need to start trying your tarts again! We can not get enough of them when I make it!
oh my goodness, what a bless to grow your own papaya, mango, lime and bananas. I only have a mini cherry tree :))
this tart looks amazing Lisa, love the curd filling, so refreshing. so perfect for the summer.
Oh! I thank God because I'm so fortunate, I have a lot of fruit bearing trees in the backyard. I'm not going to spend money anymore buying them in the grocery or in the market. I will duplicate your recipe , and this is going to be a healthy one and I will also let my room mates taste this! "IMPRESSIVE" that is the word for your Lime Curd.
A spectacular tart in every way! Colors flavors and mouthwatering photography, too! We make ours with berries because they are always so plentiful and fresh up here, but will definitely have to try this one before the season's out.
Kate - I'd love to have an apple and a pear tree like you... but not to be down here in Florida!
Cecile - Thank you once again for sharing your limes! I've never seen such bounty!