It’s spring and time to think about light, refreshing flavors. Lemon and coconut is a classic combination so I decided to give it a simple twist and use lime instead. It makes for a lovely, light dessert for your Easter festivities!
The Recipe
by volume by weight
tart shells:
1 cup desiccated coconut 100 grams desiccated coconut
1/2 cup sugar 99 grams sugar
2 large egg whites 100 grams egg whites
filling:
1/2 recipe lemon curd
(Substitute and equal amount of fresh lime juice for lemon juice in this recipe.)
Directions
Heat the oven to 350F. Mix the coconut, sugar, and egg whites together until thoroughly combined.
Oil the tart rings and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use a small spoon to spread the mixture evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the tart rings.
I would not recommend tart pans with a fluted edges. This crust is very macaroon like and won’t come cleanly out of the flutes. Opt for smooth sides instead to save yourself a great deal of frustration.
Bake the tart shells for approximately 20 minutes. They should be golden on the edges and bottom and just starting to brown in the center. You want to maintain the macaroon chewiness so be sure not to overbake them.
As soon as the tart shells are removed from the oven, loosen them from the baking paper. Let them cool about 5 minutes and then, from the bottom side, run a sharp knife around the edge of the tarts to loosen.
The ring will probably still be too hot to handle so just use a towel to protect your hands. If the ring has cooled too much and the tart shell is impossible to remove, heat the tart briefly in the hot oven to help warm the caramelized bits of sugar. Remember, these are basically macaroons and are chewy and a bit sticky when warm. Be patient! If you should damage the edge of your tart shell while removing it simply use your fingers to gently reshape it while it is still warm.
Once the shells are completely cool, fill them with the cold lemon curd and garnish as desired. These tarts can be assembled several hours ahead which makes them perfect for a busy Easter celebration.
Alternatives
These lime macaroon tarts can be made with any fruit curd. Lemon and grapefruit are great alternatives since their tanginess will balance the sweetness of the shell.
I don’t use food coloring normally (decorated cakes excepted). I like the natural color of these tarts. If you prefer to have them green just add a drop or two of liquid coloring to the curd while it is still warm.
