Ingredients Print

Check off ingredients as you go

Serves 6

For the sweet shortcrust pastry

• 170 g (1⅓ cups) all-purpose flour (plain flour), sifted
• 30 g (⅓ cup) almond flour
• 80 g (⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp) butter, at room temperature
• 50 g (⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg yolk
• zest of 1 lime

For the lime curd

• 150 ml (⅔ cup) freshly squeezed lime juice (about 5-6 limes)
• zest of 4 limes + zest of 1 lime for finishing
• 2 large eggs
• 120 g (½ cup + 1 Tbsp) butter, cut into cubes
• 100 g (½ cup) sugar
• 5 fresh basil leaves

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

Making the sweet shortcrust pastry

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the zest, then the egg yolk, and finally the flour mixed with the almond flour. Work quickly (with your fingertips or in the mixer) until you have a smooth dough with no lumps of butter. It will feel a little soft. Shape it into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours (you can shape it into a ball, but if you already have a disk, you will barely need to handle the dough later).

Making the lime curd

2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the lime juice, lime zest and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the lightly beaten eggs and the basil.
3. Cook over fairly low heat, stirring constantly, for a few minutes until the curd thickens and coats the back of a spoon (it must not boil). Turn off the heat, strain to remove the basil leaves (or lift them out gently), then add the butter and stir until the curd is smooth and glossy. Blend with an immersion blender. Pour the curd into clean jars and refrigerate for several hours, at least 3: it will firm up as the butter sets.

Baking the tart shell

4. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Take the dough out of the refrigerator, let it soften slightly, then roll it out on a sheet of parchment paper to 3-4 mm thick.
5. Prick the base with a fork and bake on the second rack from the bottom for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven, let cool until just warm, then gently unmold.

6. Spread the cold curd over the base, smooth it with a spatula and keep chilled.

To serve, decorate with a few basil leaves, some lime zest or thin lime slices, and if you like, a few small meringues.

Variations

• You can swap the basil for fresh mint, which is delicious too; in that case, add it just before blending rather than steeping it in the curd.

• To get ahead, you can make the shortcrust pastry the day before, and the lime curd as well.

If you would like to make a lime curd without butter (or margarine), you will find the recipe in my lemon speculoos verrines.