Dear Diary,
I think I’ve found “The One.” This key lime tart might just be my dessert soul mate. Its sophisticated looks and great taste are irresistible. Although we had a whirlwind romance, this feels like true love. I can hardly believe I’ve found so many of my favorite flavors in one dessert. Cancel my Tastespotting subscription; I’m set. This is it.
Admittedly, I’ve always had a crush on key lime pie. The Libra in me is drawn to that perfect balance of tangy citrus and creamy custard. But add a scarlet ribbon of raspberry jam, and [...sigh...] I go weak in the knees. Swap out the graham cracker crust for a crumbly pistachio-butter-cookie base, and I start thinking maybe you can have it all. This tart? It’s the whole package.
Man, I’ve got it bad. But what’s the use in fighting something that’s meant to be? Let’s fall in love!
Our next date? A delicious rendezvous after Easter dinner.
(Adapted from Martha Stewart and Thursday Night Smackdown)
For the crust:
-4 Tbsp. melted butter, plus more for the pan
-2/3 c. roasted, shelled pistachios (salted is OK)
-5 oz. of butter cookies (I used German Butterkeks, which are not as oily as shortbread)
-1/4 c. sugar (I used raw/demerera)
For the filling:
-1/2 c. fresh-squeezed lime juice (preferably key lime juice, or the juice of 5-6 regular limes)
-2 egg yolks
-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
-6 Tbsp. best-quality raspberry jam (I used Den Gamle)
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9-in. springform pan or pie plate with butter. (An 8×8-in. square pan would also work.)
2. In a blender or food processor, finely grind the cookies and pistachios. In a medium bowl, mix with the melted butter and 1/4 c. sugar using your hands.
3. Press the crust mix into the prepared pan, going up 1 inch on the sides. Bake 10 minutes or until golden.
4. While the crust is still warm, spread with 6 Tbsp. of raspberry jam, going to the edge. If the jam is too thick to spread easily, briefly microwave first. Chill the crust 10-15 minutes in the freezer.
5. Whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, condensed milk, and lime juice. Spread over the chilled crust, being careful not to disturb the jam.
6. Bake 15-19 min. or until set (will jiggle slightly). Cool 30 minutes in the pan, then refrigerate 1 hr. before serving.
Let the love affair begin!
Oh! Oh! Ohmygod, that is alltheway gorgeous!
I, too, have had a long love affair with key lime, but raspberry, too? And the butter cookie crust? Are those like Choco Liebniz (minus the chocolate)? I’ve wanted to make crumbs and experiment…you’ve beat me to it very deliciously. FABULOUS COLORS and I wanna bite, too! Why can’t we be neighbors?
oh my god this is BEAUTIFUL! i can taste it! do you mind if i make a video of the making of this recipe for my blog? it looks INCREDIBLE.
I like your taste in men — ahem — pastry!
Danke danke! Butterkeks are indeed the chocolate Leibniz minus the chocolate…aka Bahlsen butter cookies. They are fairly dry and not too sweet, and actually remind me a lot of animal crackers. You could try those, or substitute Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies, Danish butter cookies (the kind from the tin), or even graham crackers.
Since the German cookies are on the dry and not-very-sweet side, you may want to tweak the butter and sugar in the crust accordingly to your taste when using a different cookie.
Happy Easter!
Amazing – this looks absolutely wonderful.
How did you know I was craving key lime pie? This looks delish! I know what I’m bringing as a gift for the in-laws on Easter. Thanks!
Organic key lime juice is one of the many things I asked my mother to pack in her luggage on her last visit. It’s really amazing that the custom’s lady that stopped her didn’t go through her bags because she would have been busted with all of the food she brought over for me.
Do you think walnuts would work instead of pistachios?
Hey Nicole,
Yes, I definitely think walnuts (or almonds, for that matter) would work in place of pistachios. I was thinking of using them in case my pistachios turned out not to be enough. Happy eating!
This is my absolute favorite also and I cannot wait to make it myself! Thanks for the help!
Christina, thanks for the info on the Chowhound board re: what I did wrong with my crust on Easter Sunday. Even with the crust not being as it should have been, the tart is still WONDERFUL! Love the tart of the key lime and the slight sweet of the raspberry preserves.
And for U.S.-based bakers, if you don’t use a kitchen scale (as I don’t! LOL), Christina suggested that 4-5 oz. of the cookies should equal about 8 of them. I used Lu Petit Beurre cookies – they look exactly like the Butterkeks that Christina pictures above.
A seriously good (and easy to make!) dessert!
I made this last weekend as a bring-along when visiting the in-laws. It was fantastically delish! All this despite the fact that I didn’t have time to go to the organic shop to get condensed milk w/o crazy amounts of preservatives so I improvised. For the crust I used a mix of nuts and seeds I had in the fridge – mostly almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds – and I used hard whole grain cookies I found next to the Butterkeks. My crust was darker, but turned out fantastic! I’ll be making this again when I really have sweetened condensed milk. Oh and I used a whole lot more than 6 tbs. jam
Nicole—whole grain…even better!
Glad this tart is working out for you folks. It’s definitely due for a repeat in my household soon!
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