Strawberry Jalapeno Lime Tart, Dairy and Gluten Free! Summer Lovin’ Tapping You in the Taste Buds!

Welp, it’s warm again!! Yay and it’s the weekend before the official kick-off to Summer! Double Yay Yay! Nothing better than a Chicago Summer! Well, a Chicago Summer with my latest tart recipe is better! Now you can be better too with my Strawberry Jalapeno Lime Tart with a Strawberry Meringue! Dairy and Gluten free to boot (where did that saying come from…kind of odd…I’m going with it)! It’s Summer in tart form and it’s glorious!

This week started off pretty crappy for me…nothing too serious, but it’s the little stuff that gets us. We turn little stuff into the big stuff that turns into unnecessary stress! Any who it all began with my Surface Pro not working properly, I couldn’t type on it, spent hours troubleshooting to no avail. Had to have my mom drive me out to the burbs to the Microsoft Store (because they closed the one in the city) to see if my 2-year-old machine could be salvaged. They had to wipe it clean and keep it for 48 hours, which meant my chauffeur (mom) would have to drive me back to pick it up (which I was certain it wouldn’t be fixed). Well turns out I was partially right, they called and said it was ready and we couldn’t get it working. Oh, and you are out of warranty and you owe us 50 bucks for backing up your files. See you soon!

I hung up the phone angry and PO’ed. I have been stressing about not being able to post and share my new recipe and I was not happy about it! Also, not happy that my expensive 2-year-old computer stopped working! Then, I took a step back and a few breaths and a SoulCycle class and let it go. No one was dying, it wasn’t that big of a deal. If I had to postpone a post it would be ok. I felt better! Then my dog got sick…my amazing 14-year-old husky mix. So, I was sick with worry about that. She is doing better now. Phew. But then I almost made her bleed to death by cutting her nail too short and hitting her quick…my bathroom looked like a crime scene… seriously! But, wonders never cease, she didn’t bleed to death. Double Phew. Next off to pick up my still broken computer. I get there, they turn it on and ta-da it’s working!! And, they didn’t charge me for backing up my data!! Things are looking up!

Then the rain stopped, the sun came out, my dog didn’t bleed to death, the computer turned on and I was able to share this amazing tart with you today! Long winded way of saying try not to get overwhelmed with the little things. They tend to work out and they really aren’t as bad as you think!

So there! Now back to kick-off of Summer, strawberries, jalapeños, limes and this tart! It really is summer love tapping you in the taste buds! The cookie crust melts in your mouth, the strawberry and lime custard that is laced with a bit of kick from the jalapeño is refreshing and the strawberry meringue is well…the icing on the…tart.

That candied jelepeno is just the right amount of heat and sweet! Looks super cute too! Balances out the sweetness of the marshmallowy strawberry meringue!

So, take a breath and a soul-cycle class, don’t cut your dog’s nails too short and don’t stress the small stuff. Life is short and should be spent making my summer tarts and enjoying the warmth of the sun’s rays!

Happy Weekending and Almost Summering!

Diane

Stawberry Jalapeno Lime Tart, Dairy and Gluten Free!

 

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Prep time

2 hours

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

2 hours 20 mins

 

Author: Diane

Serves: 4 mini tarts

Ingredients

• Jalapeno Simple Syrup/Candied Jalapenos:
• 3 jalapenos
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• For the Crust:
• 1 and ½ cups crushed Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers, you could sub GF graham crackers too.
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 stick unsalted vegan butter melted (8 tbsp.)
• For the Filling:
• 16oz of fresh strawberries
• 5 tbsp. of jalapeno simple syrup separated
• Juice of 3 limes
• 7 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. vegan butter
• 3 tbsp. canned coconut milk
• zest from two limes
• Strawberry Swiss Meringue:
• 5 large egg whites
• 1½ cups sugar
• ½ tsp. of salt
• 3 to 4 tbsp. freeze dried strawberries ground

Instructions

1. Jalapeno Simple Syrup:
2. Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat and set aside.
3. Cut two of the jalapenos into chunks. Using a mandolin slice the third into thin rings.
4. In a medium sauce pan combine the sugar and water over medium heat. Stir the sugar and water until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer add the jalapenos in and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Using tongs, pull the rings you cut out and on to the baking sheet. Pop in the oven for 15 minutes. Using a fine mesh strainer, pour the rest of the syrup through strainer into a bowl. Allow to cool to room temp and transfer to jar. Remove candied jalapeno rings and allow to cool completely to room temp. Store in air-tight container at room temp for up to a week.
5. The syrup can be made a couple weeks ahead stored in the fridge. (goes great in cocktails too!)
6. For the Crust:
7. I used straight sided small tart pans. Click the link to go to webrestaurantstore.com.
8. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl of the a food processor fitted with an S-blade, grind about ¾ of the bag of wafers until it is a fine crumb.
9. Melt the butter in the microwave in 30 second intervals until completely melted.
10. Add the sugar and salt to the cookie crumbs and pulse a few times to combine.
11. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle the melted butter in. Combine until fully incorporated and pulse a few times to ensure the butter is evenly distributed.
12. Add the crumb mixture to the tart pans. Start with about three tablespoons and press down and up the sides. If you need more, add a little at a time. You don't want too thick, but also not too thin so they hold up. Press and make as even as possible.
13. Place filled tart pans on baking sheet and bake for 8 to 12 minutes until the crust is slightly golden brown. Place on rack to cool. Once cooled carefully turn crusts out of tart shells by turning over and lightly tapping the bottoms. Set on a baking sheet and set aside.
14. For the Filling:
15. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
16. Cut the green ends off of the strawberries and slice in half. Place sliced strawberries in a bowl, add the 2 tbsp. of jalapeno syrup and the sugar. Mix to combine and allow to sit at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes.
17. Add the macerated strawberries to the container of a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the lime juice. Blend until a smooth puree is formed. Pour 1 cup of the strawberry puree into a measuring cup and set aside. Save left overs for margaritas!
18. In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, eggs and yolks until fully combined. Add in the lime zest, strawberry puree and salt. Add vegan butter and cook over medium low heat whisking constantly until mixture thickens and registers 170 degrees.
19. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the coconut milk, vanilla extract and 2 tbsp. of jalapeno syrup . Place tart shells on a baking sheet. Pour filling into parbaked tart shell. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until filling is shiny and opaque and jiggles slightly in the center.
20. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. At this point you can brush a little of the jalapeno simple syrup over the warm tarts. Allow tarts to cool at room temp for at least two hours.
21. Strawberry Swiss Meringue:
22. Separate whites from yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.
23. Pour sugar in bowl with the egg whites and add the salt.
24. Place bowl over, not touching, a pot with simmering water.
25. Whisk constantly until sugar has completely dissolved around 160 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can tell it’s done when you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers and it is completely smooth with no graininess. Should take about 10 minutes.
26. Then return bowl to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
27. Begin beating the eggs and sugar until whites are glossy and stiff peaks have formed.
28. The bowl should be cool to the touch, this will take around 10 minutes. Grind the freeze dried strawberries in spice/coffee grinder until you have at least 4 tbsp.
29. Add the vanilla extract and ground freeze dried strawberries and mix to combine.
30. In a large pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, fill with the meringue. Decorate cooled tarts in dollops across the whole tart or as desired.
31. Store in air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
32. Just before serving grate more lime zest over meringue and top with candied jalapeno.
33. Enjoy!

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