I cannot say the curd word to the mister or the boy...if I do they just snicker...curd rhymes with you-know-what and for anyone with male DNA, this is funny.
Picture a grown man laughing when I ask if he'd like a lime curd tart...it's not a pretty picture! "Did you say a turd tart?" Guffaw, snort, guffaw.
But there's no laughing when they bite into that lime tart...only oohs and aahs. Lime curd, like lemon curd is zesty and freshing and effervescent...(big word which means yummy!) and definitely worth the time it takes to make, which isn't all that much, and more importantly, lime curd is worth the calories!!!
Now, how do you use lime curd? Well, if you're smart, you'll use it in a tart. But, my oh my, use it in a pie! And as a filling, it will take the cake!
For the Mama's Hands Auction, I made a Key Lime Cake and used lime curd for the filling inside and on top...with coconut butter-cream frosting...I was told it was auctioned for $425...and at that price, they got a steal! Click here for the cake recipe - you need to make it, just to satisfy your curiosity of what a piece of $425 cake tastes like!
Over the years I have tried a lot of different lime curd recipes, but this is the one I always come back to. I got it out of the Minneapolis newspaper in 1991 - it's fool-proof, and I should know!
Lime Curd - Minneapolis Star Newspaper
4 limes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter, at room temperature
4 extra-large eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
With a zester, remove as much of the zest as you can without getting the white pith. Juice the limes to get 1/2 cup of juice and set juice aside. In the bowl of a food processor, or blender, combine the zest and the sugar and process for 2 minutes or until the zest is in very fine pieces. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then add the juice and salt. Mix until combined. Pour mixture into a saucepan and over medium low heat , stir until it's thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Curd will thicken at about 175 degrees and will thicken a bit more as it cools. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, then put in refrigerator to cool completely. This makes enough lime curd to fill 10 tart shells or one 9-inch pie crust. If you use it as the filling between cake layers and on top, you'll have extra left over...cook's bonus! Keep lime curd refrigerated.
Lime curd is also great on scones or toast for breakfast!