Lime Meringue Tart Recipes

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 shortening 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 lemon 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 and egg yolks one at a time, and then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Don't worry; it will look curdled.
• Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until thick, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Whisk briskly when it starts to thicken and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Don't allow it to boil! It will be 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk until well blended. Gradually whisk in the lime juice. Pour into the graham cracker crust.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center is set when the pie is gently shaken. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a large clean bowl, whip egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually sift in the confectioners' sugar, while continuing to whip to stiff peaks. Spoon on top of the slightly cooled pie, sealing the meringue to the edges of the crust.
• Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the meringue is lightly toasted. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Steps:

• Whisk together egg yolks and eggs. Combine with sugar and lime juice in small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes, or until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon.
• Stir to cool slightly. Strain into small bowl; add butter, a piece at a time, stirring until smooth. Stir in zest; let cool completely. Cover with plastic; refrigerate until needed.
• Heat oven to 200 degrees. Trace three 6-inch circles on parchment; place, penciled side down, on 12-inch-by-18-inch baking sheet.
• Fill clean pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #12 plain tip with meringue, reserving about 1 1/2 cups; pipe out meringue, starting in center of each circle, spiraling out to circleâ??s edge. Create 1-inch-tall wall of meringue peaks by piping along outside of circle using same tip to create smooth peaks, or change tips for a more decorative edge. If making bite-size tarts, follow above spiraling process on sixteen 2-inch circles, creating 3/4-inch wall.
• Place the baking sheets in the oven, and bake about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 175 degrees, and bake 40 to 60 minutes more until meringue is dry and crisp but still white. Let stand to cool completely on baking sheets. The shells can be packed in airtight containers and stored for several weeks in dry weather.
• Heat oven to 475 degrees. Fill cool meringue tarts with chilled lime curd. Rewhip remaining meringue on high speed until stiff, about 5 minutes. Fill pastry bag fitted with an Ateco #5 star tip; pipe a ring of decorative peaks on top of lime curd. Bake until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.