Chocolate Lime Tart With A Ginger Snap Crust
This Chocolate Lime Tart has a creamy and smooth filling full of rich chocolate flavour with hints of lime flavour - all in a coconut ginger cookie crust - truly a fun and unique blend of flavors. Other than a week crust bake this tart is also a no bake tart - the creamy custard filling cooks stove top and then sets in the fridge - making it a great treat to make in the summer especially. Truth be told the motivation behind this recipe was a pack of ginger snap biscuits that were staring at me every time I opened the pantry cupboard. Ginger is fabulous with citrus and chocolate and so that is what led to this beautifully smooth and creamy tart which was the last thing I made and shared with friends in Trinidad and I tart I will never forget along with all the people and memories I hold dear to my heart from my years living in Trinidad!
I had a little open house to giveaway and sell all our belongings and I decided to make something for friends to nibble on while they ‘shopped’ or to take home with them. This was what I came up with and it was perfect. It was a delicious cool treat for them. They all enjoyed it and raved about how creamy and delicious the filling was and how complimentary the lime was to the chocolate and ginger and I couldn’t agree more. It’s a great combo that gets tied well together with the coconut as well. This is something I whipped up very quickly with minimal effort. What makes this tart so easy? The fact that I used ginger snap biscuits for the crust making it a no fuss kind of tart. I love tarts that use a biscuit base like graham crackers or any other biscuit for that matter, making them quick and easy to put together. Once the crust is baked off which literally takes minutes - the custard gets added to it and it goes in the fridge and done - the filling is a no bake one. Can it get any easier?
That creamy chocolate lime filling was a delicious combo because I’m one of those people who loves the combo of chocolate and citrus. I know many don’t or at least think they don’t but feel different after they tried it. I think you will love it. Milk chocolate can be quite sweet and dark chocolate can be quite strong in flavour and the fresh and bright oil in lime zest (or any citrus zest for that matter) livens up and balances out chocolate especially in this kind of a rich dessert. What makes it so deliciously luscious and creamy? The custard itself is absolutely creamy and delicious but what I do with my custard after it’s finished and ready to be poured into the tart shell makes all the difference. I always pass is through a mesh sieve to make sure no little bits of anything remain in it ensuring you have the creamiest custard and thus the creamiest filling. It does add an extra step but it’s worth it for that creamy dreamy filling. That being said that is totally optional and if I want to keep that untested lime flavour I will not add the lime zest to the custard mixture until after I pass it through a sieve - so that I don’t end up discarding all the zest from the filling. This tart was adored and will forever remind me of Trinidad and my friends whom I shared this little token of love with. The flavours are definitely inspired by the Caribbean with that touch of ginger, lime and coconut in each bite. Get a little taste of it by making this tart and you will adore it I promise!
Chocolate Lime Tart Ingredients
- Biscuits/Cookies: I used ginger snap cookies but feel free to use Nila wafer cookies either vanilla or chocolate wafer cookies or you can even use digestive cookies or graham cracker cookies, even coconut cookies
- Coconut Flakes: these add some coconut flavor to the tart shell - optional but I love the flavor combination
- Butter: I use unsalted butter
- Sugar: will help sweeten this tart - feel free to increase amount to a full cup of sugar if you prefer your tart sweeter - if you are using semi sweet chocolate this may not be necessary but possibly if using dark chocolate
- Cocoa Powder: I use unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe
- Corn Starch: or tapioca starch to help thicken the filling
- Milk: I use whole milk for the best texture and flavour but feel free to use coconut milk for more of a tropical flavour
- Eggs: they help give the filling structure and richness - make sure they are room temperature - you will need 4 whole eggs both egg yolks and whites
- Chocolate: I love to use semi sweet or dark chocolate for this recipe - milk chocolate is fine to use too but it will make the tart sweeter overall
- Limes: use key limes or regular limes - just make sure you are using fresh limes for the zest and juice( fresh key lime juice) - you will need approx 3 limes
- Vanilla Extract: always adds the best flavour to sweet treats
- Salt: balances the flavours of the tart
- For Garnish: toasted coconut flakes, extra lime zest and lime slices
- Alternatives: This recipe is also amazing using ORANGES I like to make it not only with the orange zest and orange juice but I like to add in orange extract instead of vanilla for extra orange flavour - think Terry’s Chocolate Orange but in creamy custard form - yum!! When I make the recipe with orange I usually use a graham cracker base so that the orange flavour really stands out.
How To Make This Chocolate Lime Tart
- Make Cookie Crust: Combine cookies with shredded coconut in a food processor and process until fine crumbs (place cookies in a sealed bag and use a rolling pin over them to crush alternatively), then pour in melted butter and pulse until combined. Press into the base and sides of tart pan and bake 10-15 min then cool completely
- Melt Chocolate: Melt chocolate in large bowl over a double broiler, in a microwave safe bowl in 10-15 second intervals or in a small saucepan over low heat stirring often - set aside
- Make Filling: Whisk eggs in a small bowl - set aside, heat milk with cornstarch, sugar cocoa powder until thickened. Temper eggs with some of the hot milk them pour egg mixture into milk mixture while whisking and simmer for a couple of minutes then remove from heat and stir in the melted chocolate, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and pinch of salt - allow to cool 5 min
- Chill: Pour filling into cooled cookie crust and chill 2 hours or overnight - cover with plastic warp if cooling for more than 2 hours
- Garnish: With vanilla or coconut whipped cream, shredded toasted coconut and lime zest and lime slices
- Enjoy: Once set remove tart from pan and slice and enjoy
Storage and Freezing
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or if you are making it ahead it will keep really well for up to 3 days - do not garnish until just before serving
- FREEZING: You can also freeze this chocolate tart in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Be sure to bring it to room temperature for an hour or two before serving or in the fridge overnight. I don’t usually recommend freezing custard like tarts or pie with cornstarch in them as the texture may change when freezing - but you technically can freeze them just expect the texture to be slightly different
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Recipe
Ingredients
For the crust
- 300 gram package of ginger snap cookies (or any cookies - like coconut cookies, digestive cookies, graham cracker cookies)
- ¼ cup coconut flakes (optional)
- ¾ stick of butter melted
- A pinch of salt
For the filling
- ⅔ cups of sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup tapioca flour or cornstarch
- 4 cups whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 8 oz dark chocolate melted
- 1½ tablespoons of lime zest and more for a more intense lime flavour
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
Directions
For the Ginger Coconut Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Place your cookies and shredded coconut in the food processor and process until finely ground. Add the melted butter and process until moistened and easily pressed together when tested.
- Transfer to a 10 inch round tart pan with removable bottom, and press crumb mixture firmly onto the bottom of pan and up the sides. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until golden and fragrant approx 10-15 minutes. Remove once done and set aside to cool completely before pouring in the filling
For the Chocolate Lime Filling
- In a medium sized bowl whisk the eggs lightly and set aside
- Combine the sugar, cocoa powder, tapioca flour and milk in medium sauce pan set at medium heat stirring with a whisk until combined. Continue to cook over medium heat for 8-9 minutes until thickened then remove from heat
- Temper the eggs before adding them to the cocoa mixture by taking approx half cup of the hot cocoa mixture and drizzling it into the eggs while whisking them. Once fully combined, drizzle the egg mixture into the hot milk mixture while whisking the hot mixture constantly
- Bring the mixture back to a simmer over medium heat stirring constantly. Cook for 3 minutes and then remove from heat
- Stir in the melted chocolate and lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract and pinch of salt
- Optional step but I love to do it for a perfectly smooth custard is pouring and pushing the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl before pouring it into the tart shell. If doing this do not add the zest until after you have passed it through the sieve so that you keep the lime zest and flavor strong in the custard. Allow mixture to cool for 5 min before you pour it into tart shell
- Empy and smooth mixture into the cooled tart shell. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or overnight until completely set
- Remove tart from pan and slice and serve with whipped cream, a dusting of toasted coconut and some lime zest and lime wedges. Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
