It’s our 28th wedding anniversary. Yes, I was a child bride! We celebrated at the cottage, hence the slight delay in this post. We actually married on the Holiday Monday of the Victoria Day long weekend (today) because we didn’t want to wait a year for the reception hall. One place I called had a 3-year waiting list! Can you imagine waiting 3-years for a reception hall? How long did you have to wait? We also didn’t want to pay a king’s ransom for our wedding and the holiday Monday was less expensive than a Friday or Saturday; it meant that we had funds to put a down payment on our first home. What’s the most expensive wedding you attended? About 20 years ago we went to a wedding that was over $40,000!
We didn’t have a traditional wedding cake for our wedding either because neither JT nor I like fruitcake, so we had Black Forest cake but I definitely could have enjoyed these shaker lime tarts instead. The tarts are a cross between a curd and a custard and they are plenty tart, which both JT and I adore. I made these last week when a friend dropped by to deliver his FILs pickled herring so I naturally invited him for dinner. I was inspired by fellow Torontonian blogger Ilan’s Iron Whisk recipe here but I didn’t make his recipe because I thought the Sweetened Evaporated Milk would make it way too sweet for our taste, so I adapted my old favourite Martha Stewart recipe that I first posted here. Both the filling and pastry components come together very quickly and it sure was tasty with the fresh blueberries on top.
Shaker Lime Tarts with Blueberries
Makes 4 small tarts (about 10 cm or 4 inches in diametre)
Ingredients:
- 3 limes (I used ordinary limes but you can use Key Limes instead, you’ll need about 8)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 batch of Viennese Pastry (recipe below)
Directions:
- Zest the limes entirely into a non reactive bowl (glass works) and reserve about 1 tsp for the pastry. Cut limes crosswise into paper-thin rounds using a mandoline or a very sharp knife; discard ends and seeds.
- Place lime slices and any juice that you can collect into non reactive bowl with the zest and cover with sugar; toss to coat evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand at room temperature overnight.
- Divide the pastry into four equal balls. With the heel of your hand, flatten out the balls into a small disk. Place the disks into the centre of a spring form tart pan and press out to the edges with your fingers. Roll the top to get a nice scalloped edge.
- Place the tart pans on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 450° F (232° C) with rack in lower third.
- Pour the sugar and lime mixture through a fine sieve, pressing the lime slices to get every drop.
- Add the lightly beaten eggs to lime mixture and stir well to combine.
- Divide the lime liquid among the refrigerated tart shells.
- Bake tarts on parchment covered baking sheet for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° F (177° C) and bake until filling is set and beginning to look golden, about 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool on sheet on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Remove tarts from pans, and allow to cool completely on wire racks.
- Top in a even pattern of blueberries.
Viennese Pastry
Originally from the Five Roses Flour Cookbook
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/8 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp reserved lime zest
Directions:
- In a food processor, add all of the ingredients except the egg yolk and vanilla, process until the butter is incorporated and it resembles coarse corn meal.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla and process until it becomes a ball. If it is very soft, you may want to refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Follow directions above for use in the lime tarts.
Notes:
- You may coat this with a neutral glaze but I didn’t.
- You may also garnish the plate with a simple blueberry coulis. Purée fresh or frozen blueberries and pressing through a fine sieve. Add a bit of water or your favourite booze to loosen to make a rich paste.
Happy belated anniversary Eva! To answer your question, I never once went to a wedding actually… have been invited to a couple but couldn’t make it alas. My own wedding sure as hell didn’t cost very much which we’re both proud of. We both think the idea of getting into debt over what is effectively a giant party is pretty abhorrent.
Lovely looking tarts!
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Wow, that is very interesting that you’ve never been to a wedding other than your own. Actually I would have loved to have a really scaled down affair but alas my in laws wanted something bigger.
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Congratulations on the anniversary! Wonderful.
The tart – YUM! Looks delicious.
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Thank you kindly Joyti and welcome to my blog.
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Happy Anniversary! Love this tart — I combine lemons and blueberries all the time, but limes? Not so much. I do need to try it, though — l love lime. Thanks for this.
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Thanks so much John, we had a lovely anniversary dinner at our favourite French restaurant. I love anything citrus so this was definitely right up my alley and it’s not overly sweet either.
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Happy Anniversary! I hope to be so in love when we celebrate our 28th Anniversary too!
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Hi Genie, thank you for your lovely words, I’m sure you will be. Just be kind to each other and never go to bed angry with one another.
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Excellent advice. Kindness is contagious (unless one of you is a psychopath).
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Now that made me burst out laughing. I hope the Koala is not a psychopath!
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No and neither am I 🙂
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Thank goodness for that!
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Happy anniversary!
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Thanks Greg.
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Happy Anniversary, Eva! 28 years sounds really impressive. It’s incredible to see your tart here…. I didn’t celebrate anything but I made fruit tartlets last weekend too (and just posted). Isn’t it incredible? Especially since I haven’t had fruit tartlets for many months… Mine are not as perfectly shaped as yours though…
I love the idea of lime and blueberry combination. I have never tasted it but it must be amazing because blueberries are not as tangy as for example strawberries or raspberries, so it’s a perfect solution for tangy food lovers, like me. (I am surprised by the term “viennese” here because in France it means puff pastry, which arrived from Austria).
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Hi Sissi, thank you kindly. The name of the pastry comes from an old flour cookbook so I never bothered to review it on line…but you have made me curious so I will.
I knew you would love this tart (I loved yours too) because it is indeed tangy.
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28 years…that’s really something. Amazing. Congratulations to you both and may you share many more years together. I’m loving the look of these fresh and full blueberries gracing your lemon tart Eva. We are also very fond of sour/tart citrus desserts and I think this one would would be right up our alley. Every once in a while I’ll sample a ‘lemon’ recipe that is not only overly sweet (missing the tart component) but that doesn’t even taste remotely of lemon! lol. Always a bit unnerving ;-).
p.s. I see that there is a new aquatic toy in the family too – how exciting is that!? Enjoy you two!! xx
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Thanks so much Kelly, I just love little desserts like this because it is a treat and a little is just so satisfying. I know what you mean about making a recipe that doesn’t even remotely taste of lemon or lime, it’s not only annoying but such a waste of calories too.
Yes indeed there is, this special toy is a family toy for the cottage. We hope to have many picnics on the water this year.
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Happy Happy Anniversary! 28 years is amazing and this tart speaks to it beautifully as it is amazing too:)
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Thank you very much Jessica.
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I hope you and JT had a wonderful celebration. Here is to many more years of happiness together. I would enjoy your tarts over cake as well.
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Thank you kindly Karen.
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Happy Anniversary. Your tart looks exquisite. Thanks for sharing the recipe too. Enjoy your celebration.
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Hi Ruth, thank you for your kind words and good wishes. Thanks for dropping by.
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That is so beautiful, happy 28th anniversary my friend 🙂
Your tarts are a much more innovative and cuter idea than any cake any day!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
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Thank you very much CCU, we had a beautiful day.
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Your tarts look gorgeous, Eva. Happy 28th wedding anniversary. We were married in the same year! We married on a Wednesday which is most unusual but it was just after New Year and a lot of people were on holiday so it didn’t matter. Being a Wednesday, the venue was a lot less expensive and we could certainly have the pick of any Wednesday we liked as it was the Saturday’s that were totally booked out xx
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Thanks so much Charlie and Happy 28th this year to you too. The date actually meant nothing because the important part was that we were getting married and we were surrounded by everyone we loved, as I’m sure it was the same for you. It was just the icing on the cake that it was more affordable.
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Yup, we were both teen brides in 1986…I’m sticking to that story! Happy anniversary, my friend. I’d eat your tarts over wedding cake any time 🙂
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Thanks so much Liz, Happy 28 years to you too!
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Happy Anniversary Eva! All those years of wedding bliss and the perfect way to celebrate with something a little sweet and a little tart. I think it is a bit over the top with weddings these days I kept to a small budget and so glad I did all those years ago. Weddings are even more extravagant in Hong Kong, crazy over the top weddings.you have me craving one of these tarts! Take care
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Hi Bam, it’s crazy how much the younger people want to spend on a wedding these days here too, it’s not about the pizzaz, it’s about getting married and having people you love there.
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Happy anniversary Eva and JT!! Wow 28 years is such an achievement! 😀 Hehe I can’t imagine waiting 3 years for a reception venue-wow! These tarts are just divine!
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Hi Lorraine, thank you so much.
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Happy 28th Anniversary Eva and JT. Hope you had warm weather at the cottage. Your tarts are so cute, blueberries are one of my favorite fruits. Tried growing them but had to give up as my soil is not suitable for growing blueberries..
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Thank you so much Norma, the weather was slightly better than expected but it has warmed up considerably. I’ve wanted to try growing them too, perhaps I’ll just look for them in our forest instead!
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Happy Anniversary Eva! blueberries are one of my favorite summer fruits. I bet this is wonderful with the tartness of the lime.
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Thanks Cheri, I hope you enjoy this little recipe.
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Happy anniversary Eva. I’m impressed! Both with the recipe and that you are living happily ever after. Your tarts are very more-ish.
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Thanks Liz, I appreciate your kind words.
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Happy Anniversary to you both! We got married at home several weeks after I told him he should ask me to marry him while we were at the top of the Eiffel Tower one night. It was a wonderful party. We didn’t have a wedding cake because neither of us wanted one. These shaker lime tarts would have been perfect!
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Hi Maureen, my Mom was married in our home in the upper beach, I made her wedding dress (a tasteful dark green cocktail dress) and I catered the whole affair (only 30 people). It was lovely. I may do something similar for our 30th, so personal at home!
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Your tarts are gorgeous and those berries look huge! What a great combo…the lime and the blueberries. Happy Anniversary to you and JT!
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Hi Betsy, thank you for your kind words and lovely wishes.
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Looks like a perfect summery fruit tart. I’m loving all the lime in it. Your pastry is superb. Will be stealing the recipe.
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What a compliment indeed, I really hope you enjoy it, it’s one of my favourites!
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Looks lovely! Yeah, I thought the sweetened condensed milk would’ve been too sweet, but it ended up being quite sour! Happy anniversary 🙂
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Hi Ilan, it’s interesting because the first time I had Key Lime Pie was many years ago in Key West, they make their Key Lime pies with sweetened condensed milk and it was so sweet and sickly we couldn’t finish it, so seeing sweetened condensed milk in a recipe turns me off a bit; I should have trusted your judgement. I have a tin of it in the pantry, when I see key limes, I’ll give it a go.
Thank you for your kind anniversary wishes. How is your store coming along?
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Congratulations Eva! Happy Anniversary! Blueberries have always been a summer fruit for me. We would eat them as fast as we picked. But I never bought them in the store. A couple of years ago Jim planted four more bushes. Then last year we had a bumper crop. We put so many bags into the freezer, Jim not long ago reminded me to start using them. Slowly I am discovering a whole new way of eating blueberries. And yes! Pairing them with lemons and limes is a winning combination. These tarts must have been heavenly! The pastry too.
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I may just buy a few bushes for the cottage Zsuzsa, but who am I kidding, it would be for the wild animals! Thank you for your kind words.
Try taking handful of frozen blueberries and a ripe banana and blitzing them with an immersion blender, add yogurt if you wish but it’s so creamy, like ice cream! Lucky you with your home grown bb!
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Congratulations on your wedding anniversary, Eva. It sounds like you were a practical woman even back then with your planning for your wedding. I could never understand spending that kind of money for a wedding either when you could use it as a foundation for the rest of your marriage rather than a celebration of one single day. But then everyone’s priorities are different.
I have never tried such a sweet crust for my tarts but I’m tempted to give it a try. I love the combination of fruit and lemons for the filling. Funnily enough I made Zsuzsa’s recently posted blueberry sauce (though mine was a combination of berries) and paired it with lemon curd yesterday to make a couple of individual trifles. Fruit/lemon … great taste.
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Thank you so much Maria, yes I guess I have been practical all my life (except for shoes, of course!). I love this pastry because it has such lovely flavour, the addition of the zest and vanilla makes it irresistible for me. I can well imagine how lovely your curd and berry sauce was.
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Congratulations on your anniversary, that really is something to celebrate! and your recipe sounds a treat – I love limes in anything so I’ll save this recipe, thank you
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Thanks so much Claire. I hope you enjoy the tart.
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These sound so good! I love tart flavors too. I’ll have to give these a try. They are so pretty as well. Happy Anniversary to the both of you – you are one of the coolest couples we know! 🙂
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Oh my Kristy, you have made me blush, thank you! I hope you enjoy them, they are likely one of my favourites.
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Happy Anniversary, Eva!
That little fruity tart looks so tempting.
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That is very nice of you to say Angie, thank you!
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