Mascarpone Mango Key Lime Pie

Sweet dough, also known as short crust, is a delicate gem of a dough. Many bakers know it as pâte sucré, a sweet dough common in French pastry. I grew up with the German version, Mürbeteig. Whether you speak of this delectable shortbread like dough in English, French, or German, you’ll be speechless once you get a bite of any tart made with the stuff.

Directions for the sweet dough:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, cornstarch, both sugars, and the salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, condensed milk, and vanilla. While continuing to pulse, slowly add the egg mixture to the food processor. Continue pulsing until the dough just begins to come together.

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently knead it until smooth. Divide the dough in half. Shape into two compact disks, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before using. The dough will keep for up to 1 week, wrapped, in the fridge.

1. Once baked per the particular recipe, allow the crust to cool completely before unmolding

Directions for the Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

1. Line a 9-inch (23-cm) round tart pan with dough by breaking up the dough into small pieces and using your fingers to press it into an even layer in the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Freeze for 20 minutes.

1. Line the dough-lined pan with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment and bake until the crust loses its raw dough sheen, about 5 minutes more. Set aside.

Directions for the Filling:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, mango juice, Key lime juice, egg yolks, mascarpone, maple syrup, lime zest, and salt.

1. Pour into the pie crust and bake until the center of the filling just barely shimmies and is set, 25 to 30 minutes.

1. Let cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate.

Directions for the Topping:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the cream, mascarpone, and confectioners sugar to stiff peaks.

1. Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a St. Honoré tip. Pipe "commas" all along the perimeter of the cooled pie and then continue piping them in the center until the whipped cream fills the entire surface.

1. Peel the mango. Cut ¼ inch-thick (6-mm-thick) slices and, using a small heart cookie cutter, stamp out heart shapes from the slices.

1. Place the hearts on top of the whipped topping or just place a solitary heart in the center.

Crust Alternate Recipes:

•VEGAN PIE
FOR THE CRUST: Use the vegan version of the Sweet Tart Dough on page 139. Let the crust cool completely after baking. FOR THE FILLING: Omit the filling ingredients entirely and do the following instead: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup (100 g) vegan sugar, ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch, 2 tablespoons Genutine vegetarian gelatin, and teaspoon salt. In a large saucepan, combine 1 (13.5-ounce/400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk, 1-¼ cups (300 ml) vanilla soy milk, ¾ cup (180 ml) mango juice, and ¼ cup (60 ml) Key lime juice and simmer over low heat. Add the sugar mixture to the saucepan and whisk until the sugar and gelatin have dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Increase the heat to medium-high and continue whisking until the mixture thickens to the consistency of ketchup. Transfer the mixture to the cooled prepared pie crust. Refrigerate to set, at least 2 hours to overnight. FOR THE TOPPING: Replace the cream and mascarpone with 1-¼ (300 ml) full-fat coconut cream. Whisk the coconut cream to stiff peaks with the confectioners’ sugar.

GLUTEN FREE
FOR THE CRUST: Use the gluten-free version of the Sweet Tart Dough (below)
• HEALTHIER
FOR THE CRUST: Use the healthier version of the Sweet Tart Dough (below). Let the crust cool completely after baking. FOR THE FILLING: Omit the filling ingredients entirely and do the following instead: In a small bowl, whisk together ½   cup (85 g) organic granulated palm sugar, ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch, 2 tablespoons Genutine vegetarian gelatin, and ¼ teaspoon salt. In a large saucepan, combine 1 (13.5-ounce/400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk, 1½ cups (360 ml) plain soy milk, ½ cup (120 ml) mango juice, and 1 cup (60 ml) Key lime juice and simmer over low heat. Add the dry ingredients to the saucepan and whisk until the sugar and gelatin have dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to the cooled prepared pie crust. Refrigerate to set, at least 2 hours to overnight. FOR THE TOPPING: Replace the cream and mascarpone with 1¼ cups (300 ml) full-fat coconut cream. Replace the confectioners’ sugar with 3 tablespoons organic granulated palm sugar.

• VEGAN CRUST
Replace the butter with 1¼ cups (2½ sticks/280 g) Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks, cut into small pieces and frozen for at least 30 minutes; or with 1¼ cups (300 ml)organic refined virgin coconut oil, gently melted to measure, cooled in a shallow pan in the refrigerator, and then broken into small pieces. Replace the egg with 1 large egg’s worth of flaxseed meal mixed with water (see page 12). Replace the condensed milk with 3 tablespoons full-fat coconut milk.

• GLUTEN FREE CRUST
Replace the flour with 1 cup (125 g) sweet white rice flour, ½ cup (80 g) finely milled brown rice flour, ½ cup (70 g) tapioca starch, and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Keep the 1 cup (120 g) cornstarch. This is a delicate dough. Be sure to allow the baked crust to cool completely before removing from its pan.

• HEALTHIER CRUST
Replace the confectioners’ sugar with ½ cup (75 g) Sucanat. Replace the sugar with ¼ cup (40 g) organic granulated palm sugar. Replace the butter with Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks or 1¼ cups (300 ml) organic refined virgin coconut oil; prior to using, cut the buttery sticks into small pieces and freeze for at least 30 minutes; or, if using coconut oil, gently heat it until liquid to measure, then pour into a shallow pan, chill in the fridge until solid, and break into small pieces.

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