Mini Lime Pies with Berries

This dessert was a big hit at our pot-luck wine dinner. I wanted to post the recipe just in time for your Academy Awards party. It would be a perfect ending to an elegant evening.

Mini Lime Pies with Berries

For lime curd
3 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest

For pastry rounds
Pastry dough for a single-crust pie
3 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar

For glazed berries
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup water1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3 cups mixed raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries

To make lime curd, whisk together eggs, sugar, and lime juice in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until combined. Add butter and cook over moderately low heat,whisking constantly, until curd is slightly thickened and first bubbles appear on surface, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.

Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Stir in zest, then chill, covered, at least 1 hour.

To make pastry rounds, preheat oven to350°F. Line 1 baking sheet with parchment paper.Roll out dough into a 15-inch round (pastry will be thin) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut out 18 rounds with cookie cutter and arrange 1/2 inch apart on lined baking sheet. Prick each round several times with a fork, then cover rounds with another sheet of parchment and weight with second baking sheet.

Bake until rounds are pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove top baking sheet and parchment and transfer rounds to racks to cool. Sprinkle each round evenly with 1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar and carefully caramelize with a blowtorch. (Be careful; the sugar burns easily. You could also try in the broiler.)

To make glazed fruit, boil confectioners sugar, water, and lime juice in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add berries, gently tossing to coat. Cool berries 5 minutes.

To assemble desserts, put 1 tablespoon of curd on each of 6 plates. Stack 3 rounds on each plate, layering rounds with some of curd and glazed berries, then drizzle plates with some of the berry syrup.