Key Lime Pie with Passion Fruit Coulis and Huckleberry Compote

This is a terrific key lime pie. The filling is tart, sweet and creamy. The crust is made of nuts and graham crackers (it's so good, you could eat it straight, like a cookie). My only mistake was using a deep dish pan. The filling only went about half way up. The crust, on the other hand, went all the way up and loomed over the sides like a fortress wall, daring the filling to try and escape from its graham cracker prison. Then I had the brilliant idea to fill in all that empty space with whipped cream. So I whipped some cream, filled my pastry bag and then realized I didn't have enough. So I ended up piping as many large rosettes as I could, but I didn't like the way it looked. By then I was totally irritated and didn't bother artfully arranging the compote or coulis. I just slopped them both on with disgust and ate some. It was then I realized how good this pie is and I started to cheer up a little. But I admit, I brushed off the coulis and compote. Because while they were both very good on their own, I felt like it was too many competing flavors and I just wanted my key lime to shine. But I left them in the recipe for anyone who is interested. Oh, and I reduced the crust ingredients so it should fit a standard size pan now (I think).

 

KEY LIME PIE WITH PASSION FRUIT COULIS

AND HUCKLEBERRY COMPOTE

Makes 8 servings

Compote:

16 oz. fresh wild huckleberries or wild Maine blueberries (or frozen wild blueberries)

1/2 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Coulis:

3/4 cup frozen passion fruit puree,* thawed

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Crust:

1/4 cup slivered toasted almonds

1/4 cup unsalted roasted, shelled pistachios

2 tablespoons sugar

8 graham crackers

large pinch of salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup fresh key lime juice or regular lime juice

whipped cream for garnish

*Available at some specialty foods stores and online from lepicerie.com or amazon.com.

1.      Compote: Combine huckleberries and sugar in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes. Refrigerate until cold. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Discard vanilla bean before serving.

2.      Coulis: Combine passion fruit puree and sugar in heavy small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Transfer coulis to bowl and refrigerate until cold. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated. Discard vanilla bean before using.

3.      Crust: Heat oven to 350° F. Combine the almonds, pistachios and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are finely chopped (don’t over process or they will turn into nut butter). Add the graham crackers and salt. Pulse until thoroughly combined. Add the butter and pulse until moistened. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of a standard 9-inch glass pie dish (not deep dish). Bake crust until set and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool crust completely. Maintain oven temperature.

4.      Filling: Whisk sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Add lime juice and whisk until blended. Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake pie until filling is set, about 18 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate pie overnight.

5.      Cut pie into wedges. Spoon huckleberry compote on top. Garnish with dollop of whipped cream. Drizzle passion fruit coulis around and serve.

slightly adapted (crust only) from Bon Appétit, September 2006 by Hedy Goldsmith

nuts and sugar

The sugar soaks up the nut oil so it doesn't turn into
nut butter (although it will if you process it too much).

finely chopped nuts

adding graham crackers and salt

crumbs

butter added

in the way too big deep dish pan

key limes

key lime juice

egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk

adding key lime juice

pouring in the filling

Right about now is when I realized I was in trouble.

half full

Sounds optimistic, but it's not.

baked

As you can see, key lime filling doesn't rise. I already
knew that, so I was already depressed two photos ago.

piping rosettes

Right about now I realized I didn't have enough cream.

not fitting the vision in my head at all

blueberries and sugar

I couldn't find wild huckleberries (can anybody?),
so I used blueberries. I also didn't have any vanilla
beans handy, so I used a little vanilla extract
(same goes for the passion fruit coulis).

passion fruit puree and sugar

I used Goya frozen passion fruit pulp
(available in many supermarkets).

blueberry compote

passion fruit coulis

key lime pie

key lime pie with passion fruit coulis & blueberry compote

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Mascarpone Cheesecake with Berries

Thanks to the addition of mascarpone, this cheesecake is ultra smooth and creamy. Luscious is the word that comes to mind. If you make it for your Fourth of July cookout, I guarantee you that even if all the hot dogs fall in between your grill grates, one bite of this and your guests won't care. Of course once they're finished, they'll remember and start making fun of you again. But for a few glorious minutes, you'll be untouchable.

MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE

Makes 10 to 12 servings

crust:

70 vanilla wafers (8 1/2 oz), finely ground in a food processor (2 1/3 cups)

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

filling:

20 oz cream cheese (2 1/2 eight-ounce packages), softened

8 oz mascarpone cheese at room temperature (about 1 cup)

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

topping:

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

Make crust:

1.      Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan.

2.      Stir together cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup crumb mixture for sprinkling over cheesecake, then pat remainder onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of springform pan (about 1 inch thick). Put pan in a shallow baking pan and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 25 minutes. Leave oven on.

Make filling while crust bakes:

3.      Beat cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and salt and mix at low speed until combined. Pour into cooled crust and bake until cake is set and puffed around edge but still trembles slightly when pan is shaken gently, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly in springform pan on rack, about 20 minutes. (Cheesecake will continue to set as it cools.) Leave oven on.

Make topping:

4.      Stir together sour cream, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and spoon over cheesecake, spreading gently and evenly, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge.

5.      Bake cheesecake until topping is set, about 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge to help prevent cracking. Sprinkle top with reserved crumbs and cool completely in pan on rack, then chill, loosely covered, at least 8 hours. Cheesecake can be chilled, loosely covered, up to 3 days. Cut cake with long, thin sharp knife dipped in a tall glass of hot water.

barely adapted from Gourmet, December 2003 (from Syrah in Santa Rosa, California)

nilla wafers

nilla wafer crumbs with melted butter

mixed

crumb crust pressed into the pan

I didn't reserve any crumbs for the top because I decided
to add berries. Consequently, the sides of my crust were
a little higher than if I had used less crumbs.

mascarpone, cream cheese & sugar (evaporated cane juice)

mixed; adding the first egg

adding the third egg

adding vanilla, lemon juice and salt

filling mixed

pouring filling into baked crust

baked filling

I baked my cake in a water bath (I wrapped the bottom of the
springform pan with foil, placed the cake in a pan and filled it about
2 inches high with water). You don't have to do this. It just helps cook
the cake more evenly and avoid cracks. But since you're topping
the cake anyway, you don't need to worry about cracks.

sour cream topping ingredients

sour cream topping spread on top

baked, cooled, chilled overnight and unmolded

You gotta love a great dessert you can make the day before.

berries arranged on top

I made a glaze with Polaner all-fruit seedless raspberry jam
- warmed & thinned with a little Chambord (raspberry liquor)

You definitely don't need to add a glaze, but I like the flavor from
the liquor and the jam adds a touch of sweetness (which is especially
nice if your berries aren't as sweet as you hoped they'd be).

brushing on the warm glaze

You can add the berries & glaze the day before too.

mascarpone cheesecake topped with berries

slicing (it helps to dip the knife in a glass of
warm water and then wipe it between slices)

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Fresh Berry Crumb Bars

I'm taking a break next week. I wish I could say I'm jetting off to Paris or Rome, but the reality is that my daughter is in between camp and school, so I'll just be trying to amuse her while still getting work done (wish me luck, she's a tough audience).

Since I won't be back until after Labor Day, I wanted to leave you with something that screams summer. Something made with fresh berries while the berry getting is still good. These are so simple and satisfying. And because they're not too ridiculously sweet and fruity too, you can get away with having them for breakfast (in front of others I mean--when you're alone you can eat a whole tray of fudge brownies and live with the private shame). Have a nice week!

FRESH BERRY CRUMB BARS

Yield: 24

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg

1 heaping tablespoon tapioca starch or corn starch

4 cups fresh blueberries and raspberries

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

____________________________________________________________________

1.      Preheat oven to 375º F. Grease a 9- x 13-inch pan.

2.      Combine 1 cup of the sugar with the flour, baking powder and salt in food processor; pulse to combine. Add the butter and and pulse until mixture resembles a course meal. Add egg and pulse until dough begins to climb up the sides (dough will be crumbly but stick together when squeezed). Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

3.      In another bowl, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and starch. Gently mix into the berries, along with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Sprinkle the berry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4.      Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

adapted from allrecipes.com

dry ingredients pulsed; adding butter

adding egg

dough climbing up the sides

crust patted down

I went with about 65% blueberries and 35% raspberries.

adding lemon zest

filling all mixed

filling spread over crust

sprinkling with crumbs

If you want larger crumbs on top, just squeeze
some of the dough as you go to form larger clumps.

ready to bake

baked

sliced into bars

They're even easier to slice if you put the cooled pan
in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. And obviously
you can get more than 24 if you cut them smaller.

luscious berry filling

even closer to the luscious berry filling

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