Blueberry Tartlets with Lime Curd

From the kitchen of Carly

Buttery tartlet shells cradle silky lime curd brightened with fresh citrus zest, then crowned with jewel-like blueberries. Tangy, rich, and elegant enough for company, yet simple enough to pull off on a Tuesday night.

Blueberry Tartlets with Lime Curd

Lime curd is custard for people who want bright acid with their richness, and here it anchors a tartlet that comes together in parts. The crust is tender and buttery, the curd sharp and silky, and the blueberry topping gets cooked just enough to concentrate its flavor without turning to jam. Assemble close to serving so the crust stays crisp.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1/2 cupsugar
  • 1/3 cupfresh lime juice
  • 4 largeegg yolks
  • 5 tbspunsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 tspgrated lime peel
  • 1 1/2 cupall purpose flour
  • 3 tbspsugar
  • 1/4 tspsalt
  • 1/2 cupchilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 3 tbspchilled whipping cream
  • 1 largeegg yolk
  • 3 1/2-pint baskets blueberries
  • 1 tbspsugar

Instructions

  1. In a heavy medium saucepan, whisk the sugar and lime juice together to blend. Whisk in the yolks, then the butter. Cook over medium-low heat until thick, smooth, and just beginning to bubble, stirring constantly, around 8 minutes. Pull from the heat. Mix in the lime peel. Transfer to a small bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd. Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours. (Holds 4 days ahead, kept refrigerated.)

  2. In a food processor, blend the flour, sugar, and salt for 5 seconds. Add the butter and cut in using on/off turns until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons of cream and the egg yolk. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if the dough runs dry. Shape the dough into a log. Cut crosswise into 8 equal rounds. Press each round across the bottom and up the sides of a 3 3/4 by 3/4 inch tartlet pan with a removable bottom. Pierce the crusts with a fork. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

  3. In a heavy small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of berries with the sugar. Using a fork, mash the berries coarsely. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it begins to simmer, stirring often, around 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, push as much of the mixture as possible through a strainer set over a medium bowl. Mix the remaining whole blueberries into the strained berries. Set the topping aside.

  4. Bring the oven up to 375°F. Bake the tartlet crusts until lightly golden, pressing any bubbles down with the back of a fork, around 15 minutes. Cool the crusts completely on a rack.

  5. Spread the curd inside each crust. Spoon the blueberry topping across each tartlet. (Can be prepared ahead. Let stand at room temperature up to 2 hours or refrigerate up to 1 day.)

Tips from the kitchen

  • Make the curd first: it needs at least 4 hours to chill, and it tastes better after a day anyway. The key is constant stirring over medium-low heat so the eggs cook evenly without scrambling.
  • For a dough that comes together cleanly, chill your butter and bowl, and work fast. If it breaks apart when you press it into the pans, just patch it with extra pieces; no one will notice once it bakes.
  • Strain the cooked berries through a fine sieve to get rid of seeds and create a smoother, more elegant topping. This step takes two minutes and changes the texture completely.

Variations

  • Lemon curd instead of lime: swap juice and zest 1 to 1, and use the same method. The flavor is classic and slightly less aggressive.
  • Raspberry topping: cook 1/2 cup raspberries with sugar, strain to remove seeds, fold in the remaining raspberries raw. You get tartness without the jam effect.
  • No tartlet pans: bake the dough in a single 9-inch tart pan for 18 to 20 minutes, then cut into wedges and top at the table.

Make ahead and storage

Keep assembled tartlets at room temperature for up to 2 hours. The curd and crust can be made days ahead and stored separately in the fridge; assemble only when ready to serve.