I wasn’t sure the day would ever come that I would share a lime-based dessert. But you guys…it’s here, and I’m so into it! Yes, it took me a while to come around to the idea of lime desserts. But then it also took me a while to come around to lemon-based desserts, and look at me now. I love a lemony sweet treat…though I still find them better for brunch than dessert. But that’s all thanks to my mom. She has it ingrained in me to sway towards chocolate when it comes to night time sweets. Anyway, I’m rambling. The point here is that we have the creamiest, easiest lime tart to talk about today. It’s perfect for these late winter days when the citrus season is still in full force but we’re longing for sunnier spring days ahead…or maybe just dreaming about a tropical vacation in the Caribbean.
Here’s the story.
For years now my brother Brendan has been requesting that I make a key lime pie. It’s one of his all-time favorite desserts. It’s also my grandpa’s favorite dessert. BUT, as I mentioned, the idea of zesty lime dessert has never really appealed to me. Lime is best for my favorite Thai soups and Mexican tacos, I mean right? Nope. Wrong. Which, I do hate admitting because I can be a bit stubborn. But after Brendan finally convinced me to start working on a sweet lime tart I quickly discovered that the combination is actually delicious. Not sure I call it “dessert”, but regardless of how I look at it, it’s a delicious pairing that’s indeed crave-worthy.
Here is how I make this delicious no fuss coconut lime tart:
This is EASY. And I really made the testing process easy on myself too. I simply use the base for my lemon tart but swap in lime juice. The only things I really needed to adjust were the sweetness and saltiness. First, start out by making this crust. Now I really want to put this out there that this is probably my favorite crust. It’s a nutty base of sweet coconut and salty pretzels…and just a touch of butter too. Up until now, I had not tried this combo, but let me tell you, it’s GOOD. I love the addition of coconut and with the salty pretzels, it’s the perfect combination. Toast the crust quickly in the oven to allow the flavors to really shine…and that’s the crust.
And now the zesty lime filling…
It’s extra special, creamy, and so easy. While the crust bakes (and your kitchen begins to smell like hints of cinnamon and coconut – such a delicious, cozy smell), make the filling. The filling is the simplest thing, you’re going to be shocked when I tell you the ingredients. All you need is heavy cream, honey, lime, a pinch of cinnamon, and vanilla. Yep, just five very simple ingredients, zero eggs, and almost zero effort. All you need to do is bring the cream to a boil for 5 minutes, remove from the stove, add the lime, cinnamon, and vanilla…and that’s it! You may be concerned that the cream will not set up, but trust me, it will set up perfectly once chilled. Boiling the cream thickens it, and allows for it to set up just like it would if using eggs.
Some notes…
This is very important. Please be sure to use a large pot, bigger than you think you will need. Heavy cream really likes to boil over, so use the largest pot you have, just to be safe. If you happen to be someone who prefers dairy-free, I tested this with both heavy cream and coconut cream (no water, just the cream on top of the can of coconut). Both worked really well, but I do find using heavy cream to give you a smoother filling. If you decide to use coconut cream, make sure it’s high quality and boil the coconut cream for a total of ten minutes versus five minutes. Personally, I love the flavor of the coconut. But as I said, it gives a little less smooth of a texture…use what you love!
For the topping?
I decided I wanted a little extra sweetness. So I mixed up a quick lime infused honey with just a touch of flaky sea salt. Then I topped the pie simply with whipped cream and sliced champagne mangos. Twas perfect. Creamy, salty, sweet, heavy on the lime, and hinted with coconut. Also? The citrus, the mangos, and the coconut…they really give off all the tropical vibes. I’m now ready to book a Caribbean vacation…like soooo ready. Anyone with me? Is it time for spring break yet? This tart has me ready.
Lastly, if you make this no fuss coconut lime tart, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
