Lime Curd Tart

• sliced almonds, toasted until golden and cooled completely↗2⁄3 cup
• sugar↗1⁄4 cup
• salt↗1⁄4 teaspoon
• vanilla wafer crumbs (from about 30 1-1/2 inch cookies)↗1 cup
• unsalted butter, softened↗1⁄4 cup
• sugar↗1 cup
• sugar↗1 tablespoon
• cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces↗1⁄2 cup
• cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces↗1 tablespoon
• large eggs, beaten lightly↗4 units
• fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)↗1⁄2 cup
• freshly grated lime zest (from about 2 limes)1 tablespoon

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim.

2. 2

   In a food processor pulse almonds, sugar and salt until almonds are ground fine.

3. 3

   In a bowl toss nut mixture with cookie crumbs and butter until combined well.

4. 4

   Sprinkle half of crumb mixture onto bottom of pan near rim, pressing evenly up side.

5. 5

   Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture onto bottom and press evenly over bottom, joining edge.

6. 6

   Bake crust in lower third of oven 10 minutes, or until a deeper shade of golden brown, and cool on a rack.

7. 7

   In a heavy saucepan cook sugar, butter, eggs and lime juice over moderately low heat, whisking frequently until thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubbles appear on surface -- about 12-15 minutes.

8. 8

   Stir in zest and cool. (Filling may be made 1 week ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap.).

9. 9

   Spoon filling evenly into crust and cover surface with a buttered round of wax paper.

10. 10

    Chill tart, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 24.