All of these desserts have components that can be prepared ahead, which is essential for entertaining. Make the the lemon curd for the tart up to two or three days in advance, then lighten the curd with whipped cream just before assembling. The crust on the chocolate ganache tart is best the day-of, but holds up fine for 24 hours. And the lime cookies retain their cake-like texture and crumb the next day as well.
Toasted Almond Chocolate Ganache Shortbread Tart
This dessert is Kosher for Passover. Toasting the sliced almonds in the chocolate ganache tart until almost dark is key to the nutty flavors in this bottom layer — they get processed into fine crumbs with sugar, salt and matzo cake meal. Macerate strawberries to serve alongside, which cut the richness of the ganache and lend a seasonal note. If you prefer, you can press the crust into a square baking dish and cut the dessert into bar cookies after baking. Serves 8.
Ingredients
THE CRUST
1 cup sliced almonds, well toasted
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup matzo cake meal
Pinch kosher salt
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
THE GANACHE FILLING
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch kosher salt
TO GARNISH
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced thin
1 tablespoon sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, pulse the almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal and salt until fully combined into fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the cooled melted butter. Using your fingers, press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch metal tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake for about 15 minutes, until dry and golden. Remove crust from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the ganache. Place the chopped chocolate and the butter in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the sugar and salt until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture just starts to boil; pour over the chocolate mixture and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
When crust has cooled slightly, pour the ganache into the center of the tart shell, and spread evenly with a spatula. Leave out to solidify or refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to a day (if it’s going to sit in the fridge for more than an hour or two, tent loosely with foil).
Toss the strawberries with sugar, and let macerate in the fridge while the tart is chilling.
Remove tart from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.
Cut into wedges to serve, accompanied by the berries.
Per serving: 460 calories, 5 g protein, 47 g carbohydrate, 31 g fat (16 g saturated), 55 mg cholesterol, 12 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Lime Meltaways
Vibrant green limes are at their best in late spring. Try them in lime meltaways, which get their name from the buttery, tender cookie that melts on the tongue. The dough can be made in minutes, and the cookies keep fresh for a few days.
Too much lime in the dough can turn it bitter, so to showcase the citrus fruit, make a glaze to brush over the cookies. Do it twice — once straight from the oven so a little soaks into the dough underneath, and again after the cookies have cooled to settle on top. A garnish of fresh green lime zest gives the cookies a decorative spring look. Makes 28-30 cookies.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
THE GLAZE
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silpat or parchment; set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar until well combined and light, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg, beat slightly, then add the milk, lime juice and vanilla. Beat until the liquids are partially incorporated — it’s OK if the batter looks a little lumpy.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating on low speed just until combined, taking care not to overmix.
Scoop by rounded tablespoons at least 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets, and bake until the bottoms of the cookies turn golden brown, about 10 minutes (check by lifting carefully with a spatula).
While cookies are baking, make the glaze by whisking together lime juice, 1 teaspoon zest and powdered sugar.
When the cookies are done, remove them from the oven and immediately brush once with a light coating of the glaze. Move cookies to wire racks. When completely cooled, brush with another layer of the glaze, and sprinkle with lime zest.
Per cookie: 66 calories, 1 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat (2 g saturated), 15 mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.
Meyer Lemon Cream Strawberry Tart
This tart is built on a puff pastry rectangular crust that’s large enough to feed a crowd. Meyer lemons give this tart a slightly sweeter edge, but it’s fine to use regular Eureka lemons as well. You can replace the strawberries with other berries as they come into season. Serves 10-12.
Ingredients
The lemon filling
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice or other fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Grated zest of 2 lemons (about 1 1/2tablespoons)
Pinch kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
The tart shell
1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
1 egg
Sugar, for sprinkling
Assembly
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
Directions
For the lemon filling: In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, zest and salt. Cook, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and the whisk makes tracks in the mixture, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat, and whisk in the butter pieces, a few at a time, until fully incorporated. Push mixture through a sieve, and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
For the tart shell: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Lay the puff pastry out on a floured surface. Roll out into an even rectangle about 12- by 16 inches, and carefully move to the prepared baking sheet. The dough should just fit.
Whisk the egg with a little bit of water to create an egg wash; set aside.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut a 1-inch strip off each side of the dough, and set on the work surface. Carefully brush the egg wash about 1-inch wide around the edges of the pastry rectangle. Place the strips on top of the egg wash, creating a higher border around the edges of the rectangle. Press to adhere, and trim as necessary at the corners. Brush the top of the edges with more egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar. Score the edges lightly with the paring knife, making very faint diagonal hash-marks about 1 inch apart all the way around. Prick the bottom of the crust several times with a fork. Refrigerate the crust for about 30 minutes so it won’t spread too much during baking.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the crust for about 15 minutes until golden; reduce the oven temperature to 325, and bake for about 5 minutes, until evenly golden and puffed. The inside will most likely dome as it bakes — it’s OK to tap it down with a fork or poke it with a knife to let the steam out as it bakes. As it cools, tap it down more so that the inside is flat. It’s OK if the crust flakes. Set aside until ready to assemble.
To assemble: Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks with the sugar. Fold half the cream into the prepared lemon filling, and set the other half aside to serve with the tart.
Spread the lemon cream over the inside of the tart shell, distributing evenly. Overlap the sliced strawberries in rows, or in the pattern of your choice. Cut into squares, and serve at once.
Per serving: 273 calories, 5 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat (8 g saturated), 146 mg cholesterol, 87 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.
