Happy Pi Day!

What better way to celebrate Pi Day, March 14 than pie?  Well, not really a pie, but a tart.  A nice, simple tart to usher in spring.

This recipe really came about in a yin-yang devil-angel kind of way.  I tried out a recipe for healthy chocolate muffins that were described as Vita Top knockoffs.  I'm all about replicating treats that cost the megabucks.  Anyway, the recipe called for egg whites, leaving me with three egg yolks.  I really didn't want to throw them away, so started looking for egg yolk only recipes, and remembered my favorite lemon filling recipe uses egg yolks.  Problem solved!  Egg yolks put to good use, and a rich cheese cake like tart to balance out those healthy, deep chocolate chocolate chip muffins.

Lime curd tart
Lime filling
Recipe adapted from Wilton.com
3/4 cup sugar
2 TBS cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold water
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 TBS lime zest
Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons
1 TBS butter
1-2 drops green food coloring (optional)

For the record, I used squeeze bottle lime juice.  This was an impromptu recipe, so I used what I had.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually whisk in the water until dissolved. Whisk in egg yolks, and juice. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly.  The mixture will get foamy, but keep whisking.  Cook while whisking, until thick and bubbly. Boil one minute (keep whisking); remove from heat. Stir in butter. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature, without stirring.

If you use the food coloring, add it while whisking.  If you choose not to use it, your filling will be yellow.  This recipe gets its color from the egg yolk, and lime juice is clearish.  That creamy dreamy green color we know and love is a charade!


Graham cracker crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs  (this is right at one unopened sleeve of graham crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter

Combine the crust ingredients in a medium bowl.  Stir to combine.  Press crumb mixture into a pie plate or tart pan.  Using the bottom of a drinking glass helps get it packed down smoothly.  Depending on the dish you use, you may have leftover crumbs.  Hold on to those for later. Bake your crust at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  Set aside and let cool.

Cheesecake filling
8 oz cream cheese softened
1/4 sugar
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in the sugar, then the eggs and vanilla.  Pour into your cooled graham cracker crust.  Bake at 350 for 13 minutes.  Let cool.

To finish your tart, stir your lime filling to break up any lumps and loosen and skin that formed on the top.  Gently pour/spread the lime filling onto the cooled cheesecake layer.  If you had any leftover graham cracker crumbs, you can sprinkle them decoratively over the top.

Cover and put in the fridge. Enjoy while seeing who can recite the most digits of pi.
3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058.....