Spread curd in crust; chill tart. Place 1½ ounces white chocolate in microwave-safe cup. Microwave at low setting in 10-second intervals until softened; stir until smooth. Spread chocolate over bottom of meringue. Chill meringue, chocolate side up, until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Place meringue, chocolate side down, atop tart. Mound chocolate curls atop meringue.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Chill uncovered.
Release tart from pan; place on platter and serve.Technique Tip: Microwaving ChocolateChocolate is often melted in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, but melting it in the microwave provides a quick and convenient alternative. Whether you’re melting white chocolate or dark chocolate in the microwave, remember these key tips: Use a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup (such as Pyrex), use a low-power setting so that the chocolate melts gently, use 10-second intervals so the chocolate doesn’t overheat and burn, and stir the chocolate (even if it doesn’t look melted) between each interval to ensure it melts evenly.
Lime curd and tart cranberries are balanced by a layer of sweet white chocolate cream and a rich buttery crust. The vibrant red topping and green-speckled curd make this dessert perfect for the holidays. Begin preparing the tart at least two days ahead so that the lime curd can chill overnight before it’s used and the assembled tart can chill overnight before it’s served. If you like, the cranberries can be lightly flavored with Chinese five-spice powder, which is a blend of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, and Szechuan peppercorns; it’s available in the spice section of most supermarkets. 14 to 16 servings
Curd
½ cup fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2½ teaspoons finely grated lime peel
Crust
1¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
½ cup powdered sugar
⅓ cup whole almonds, toasted, cooled
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (1½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
¼ cup water
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
⅔ cup sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1½ teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder (optional)
1 12-ounce bag (3 cups) fresh or partially thawed frozen cranberries
Cream
5 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract White chocolate curls
8 thin lime twists
CURD: Whisk lime juice and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in sugar and egg yolks, then add butter. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture simmers and thickens, about 8 minutes. Strain into small bowl. Mix in lime peel. Cover; chill overnight.
CRUST: Finely grind flour, sugar, almonds, and salt in processor. Add butter and vanilla; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture just forms soft moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill 1 hour Press dough onto bottom and up sides of 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using thumb, press dough up sides to extend ⅛ inch above rim of pan. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until golden brown, pressing with back of spoon if crust bubbles, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
TOPPING: Whisk ¼ cup water and cornstarch in heavy large saucepan to blend. Add sugar, honey, and five-spice powder, if desired. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil. Add cranberries; cook until mixture boils and berries just begin to pop but still maintain shape, occasionally stirring gently, about 5 minutes. Cool completely (mixture will thicken).
CREAM: Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water; whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Cool completely.
Spread chocolate cream into crust; freeze 15 minutes. Spoon lime curd over; spread evenly. Spoon cranberry topping by tablespoonfuls over, then spread carefully to cover completely. Cover and chill overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Remove pan sides; transfer tart to platter. Sprinkle chocolate curls around edge of tart. Garnish with lime twists.Technique Tip: Lime TwistsSugared lime twists make a pretty garnish for this tart. To make them, remove the lime peel in 2-inch lengths using a lemon stripper or the large V-shaped cutter on a citrus zester. Twist the strips to form coils, dip them into ice water, and lightly roll them in sugar to coat.
Dutch speculaas cookies are similar in flavor to gingerbread cookies. This tart combines the spiced speculaas dough with another treat—almond tart filling. During the holidays, use a 2-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter to form the cookies for the top of the tart. At other times of the year, any 2-inch cutter, such as a heart or a star, can be used instead. 12 to 16 servings
Dough
2¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
Filling
1½ cups blanched slivered almonds
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon almond extract
Powdered sugarApricot preserves
DOUGH: Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture and beat until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; divide into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten dough into disks; wrap separately and chill at least 2 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
FILLING: Blend almonds, sugar, butter, egg, lemon peel, lemon juice, and both extracts in processor until nuts are finely chopped. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾ inch-high sides. Roll out larger dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to prepared pan and press gently over bottom and up sides, pressing to seal any tears. Spread filling in dough. Trim dough on sides to ½ inch above level of filling. Fold dough in over filling.