Day 146.5 - Blueberry Tartlets with Lime Curd

A few months ago I picked up a set of sweet little tartlet pans at Williams-Sonoma. That store is seriously like crack to me - well, maybe not crack because I'm not into that - more like...cowboy boots, or strawberries or any one of the hundreds of things I must have. Which leads me to my latest lime obsession...in seltzer, squeezed over fish, in guacamole, in a margarita, in sorbet...the list goes on, but I won't. Suffice it to say, when I found this recipe, there was no question I would make it - so what if it's like 90 with matching humidity  - my hair will be way big, but my tartlets will be slammin'.

The combination of the zesty, tart, and rich curd with snappy blueberries and shortbread-like crust was divine and beautiful. I garnished the tartlets with mint, but you could use a dollop of whipped cream, candied lime or anything your heart desires. Plus, there's something special about having your own little tart for desert. It just feels extra decadent and magical -- and it looks gorgeous on the plate. Enjoy!

P.S If you don't have tartlet pans, you can use mini-muffin tins (which I also used because I only had 6 tartlet pans and the recipe makes 8).
Curd

Crust

Filling

Assembly

Blueberry Tartlets with Lime Curd (Adapated from epicurious.com - Bon Appetit, June 2002)

Curd
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
4 large egg yolks
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1-1/2 tsp. grated lime zest

Crust
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tbsp (about) chilled whipping cream
1 large egg yolk

Topping
3 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp. sugar

Preparation
For Curd
Whisk sugar and lime juice in non-reactive heavy saucepan to blend. Whisk in yolks, then butter. Cook over medium-low heat until thick, smooth and just beginning to bubble, stirring constantly, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in lime zest. Transfer to small bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of curd to keep skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours. (can be made 4 days ahead. Keep refrigerated).

For Crust
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in food processor 5 seconds. Add butter and cut in, pulsing, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons cream and egg yolk. Pulse until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonful if dough seems too dry. Shape dough into log. Cut crosswise into  8 equal rounds. Press each round over bottom and up sides of  8 3-1/2x1-inch tartlet pans (or whichever size you have - the original recipe called for pans with removable bottoms, but I don't have any!) Pierce crusts with fork. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

For Topping
Place 1/2 cup berries and sugar in heavy small saucepan. Using fork, mash berries coarsely. Cook mixture over medium heat until beginning to simmer, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Using rubber spatula, push as much of the mixture as possible through a sieve, set over a medium bowl. Mix remaining blueberries into strained berries. Set topping aside.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake tartlet crusts until lightly golden, pressing any bubbles with the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

Spread curd in crusts. Spoon blueberry topping over. (Can be prepared ahead. Let stand at room temperature up to 2 hours or refrigerate up to 1 day.)

(C) 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World?/ Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved