key lime tart
Robin Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 4:22PM 
It’s not very often that I bat an eye at the dessert menu anymore. I’ve been burned once too often by the lure of a citrus dessert.
Usually in the form of a bar or mini-tart these imposters lurk at buffets, dessert tables and on menus throughout the country. They promise the delicious complexity of the bite of citrus with a pleasing sweetness to counter the acidity. Sweet and sour. Yin and Yang.
With an unfortunate consistency these hopes are dashed at the first bite. Met with a tooth-aching amount of sweetness those once-enticing bites have been beaten with the sugar cane so severely that any hint of complexity has been annihilated.
When I do chance upon a citrus dessert that has achieved that tangy-sweet nirvana I come embarrassingly close to licking the plate. Some people I know can bear witness to just such an event at a small restaurant in North Carolina last year. I remain unashamed.
This tart swings just a little bit farther in the opposite direction. It’s more tangy than sweet and for those of you who appreciate that delicacy called the “Sour Patch Kid,” it is here that you will find a friend.
If you’re not so much one for the pucker-inducing side of life omit ¼ cup of the lime juice and you should be fine.
Key Lime Tart
10 graham cracker sheets, crushed into crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 egg whites
2 egg yolks
4 eggs
2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 ¼ cup key lime juice
zest of 1 lime (preferably a key lime)
Preheat oven to 350º
Mix together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and egg whites until crumbs are thoroughly moistened. Spray the bottom of a ten-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray and press the mixture into the bottom evenly. Bake for 8 minutes and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and eggs until light and foamy. Add sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest and beat until thickened. Pour into the springform pan, place the springform pan on a baking sheet, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are set. The center will still jiggle. Let cool to room temperature and then chill, covered, for at least two hours before serving.
citrus, dessert, eggs, fruit, sweet, tart, vegetarian in food, recipes Email Article Permalink Print Article
Reader Comments (5)
Looks delicious and love the writing! I find myself drawn far more to creamy sweet/sour desserts than to chocolate based ones. I think it is related to my savory-tooth.
It looks delicious. I have to try this recipe once!!!
I have always wanted to try this dessert (and make it for that matter) - I love citrus desserts and this looks lovely.
This dessert was absolutely divine. I do my best to avoid desserts (period), but well, uh, I had to kind of try this because it was so, er, uh BEAUTIFUL! And it was as divine to eat as it was gorgeous. I ate an entire piece and promptly left to go to the gym.
This key lime tart looks delicious! Thanks for the recipe.