Lime and lemon tart
Exactly a year ago my friends got married and some of the guests brought to the reception a cake or tart to have a traditional Kaffee und Kuchen as it is known here in Germany. Coffee and cake often happens at around 3pm when families and friends meet up to eat something sweet. So a few days before the wedding I gave this a lot of thought and in the end decided on a lime and lemon tart, my husband’s favourite.
At the reception there were several lovely cakes, but most of them with very simple decorations. And in less tan 5 minutes my tart was all gone and the few that had tried it were so impressed by it that they left the guests who hadn’t tried any feeling a tad frustrated. Do I need to say that I loved to hear all the compliments?!?
My husband and I have been trying for months to have a get together, a garden party for friends as we have something very important to celebrate: I am pregnant and in four weeks we’ll finally meet this little boy who has been kicking my ribs for months. But my hormones made me cancel this garden party and I decided to have a much smaller get together only because a couple of friends as they were insisting on coming over and bringing presents. These friends that were coming over were at the above mentioned wedding and were in the frustrated guest group as they did not get to try the lime and lemon tart, so what better excuse to bake it again?! The filling is a recipe by Jamie Oliver and the base is simply made with butter biscuits. It is so easy and super tasty.
Lime and lemon tart
For the base:
200g of butter biscuits or digestives
50g almonds, finely chopped
125g butter, at room temperature
Fort he filling:
340g sugar
8 eggs
350ml double cream
250ml lime juice
100ml lemon juice
Zest of 4 limes
To decorate:
Mixed Berry jam
50g almonds, finely chopped
Mixed berries
Method:
1.Preheat the oven to 180C. Blitz the biscuits and add the butter and almonds. Press the mixture at the bottom of a pan with loose bottom (don’t use a tart pan as it won’t be deep enough). Separate the white from one of the eggs, mix it with a little water and brush it over the biscuit base. Take it to a preheated oven for 20 minutes. This step will help to form a film protecting the biscuit base keeping it crunchy.
2. Beat the sugar and eggs until the mixture turns pale. Add the remaining ingredients. Once the biscuit base has cooled down pour the lime and lemon mixture over the top. I would advise to cover the bottom of the tin with foil just in case any of the liquid tries to escape. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the filling becomes firm around the sides but still soft in the centre. Set aside to cool.
3.Heat up 3 tbsp of mixed Berry jam and spread over the tart. Finish the decoration by scattering mixed berries and almonds on top. For best results leave the tart in the fridge overnight, but if pressed for time 3 hours is good enough.
