Recipe: (Steven Universe Dessert Series, Pt. 6) Peridot’s Key Lime Triangles (or Angry Little Slices of Pie)

Most of Peridot’s character development is fairly recent, so it’s difficult to talk about her without spoilers. If you haven’t seen the most recent Steven Bomb, I suggest you go ahead and skip over this intro and go right to the recipe. Alright, spoilers happening under swirling toilet Peridot!

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I’ll admit I was surprised to see Peridot’s arc leading to her as joining the Crystal Gems. I’m surprised not because I couldn’t see it coming, but mostly because I’m so used to the core group. However, I couldn’t be happier. Peridot is funny, unintentionally adorable, and serves as a perfect view into Homeworld culture.

“Go to Earth,” they said. “It’ll be easy,” they said.
Peridot, in Jailbreak

Before we did get confirmation she’d be joining the Crystal Gems, I actually wasn’t sure if I’d be making a dessert for her at all. I’d planned on doing only Crystal Gems and fusions involving Crystal Gems, but I had brainstormed Peridot just in case. When I was thinking on what I’d like to do as her dessert, I realized the show had made my decision for me.

“Awwwww! You’re like an angry little slice of pie!”
-Steven, upon seeing Peridot’s true height

Incorporating her triangular design and color scheme, key lime bars were the perfect solution. Little triangular slices of lime pie, for our little triangular gem.

Peridot’s Key Lime Triangles

Yields: 16 key lime triangles

Timing Notes: You should make these recipes in the order written below. First make and bake the sablé, then add the filling and bake again. While the bars are chilling, make your chocolate garnishes. I suggest making the whipped cream right before you decorate in order to keep it soft enough to pipe cleanly. Once the bars are finished, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for several days.

Almond Sablé
80g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar
100g (1 stick minus 1 tbsp) butter, chilled
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
150g (1 1/2 cup) flour
60g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) almond flour

1. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. In a food processor, combine the powdered sugar and flour and pulse until they are combined with small bits of butter still intact.Add in the egg and pulse to combine.
2. Sift together the flour, almond flour and salt. Add to the butter mixture and pulse until it forms a crumb mixture.

3. Pat the mixture into a greased square 8″ pan. Use your hands or a smaller square pan to get the dough as level as possible. Bake for approximately 20minutes, or until set and golden brown around the edges.

Key Lime Filling
4 egg yolks
150ml (scant 2/3 cup) key lime juice
2 limes worth of zest
300ml (14 oz) condensed milk
Green and yellow food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. Whisk together all ingredients aside from the food coloring. Now add the coloring, a single drop at a time, until the color is a truer green. Note: I only needed 2 drops of green and 1 of yellow coloring, so go easy! You don’t want it to look unappetizing.
2. Pour this mixture onto your par-baked crus. You don’t need to allow the crust to cool; it’s fine to pour it on the hot crust and just return it to the oven immediately. Bake for 15 minutes. To check if it’s done, jiggle the pan very slightly. When it has a gentle jiggle that’s fairly even across the entire surface, it’s finished. Cool completely, then wrap the whole pan with saran wrap without de-panning and the bars transfer to freezer for 3-4 hours. Once the bars are thoroughly chilled, loosen them from the pan and cut them as shown below. Begin by cutting the bars in half twice, and then use the edges as a guide for your diagonal cuts. Be sure to wipe off your knife between each cut.

Chocolate Garnishes
40g (1/4 cup) white chocolate
120g (3/4 cup) dark chocolate
1 1/2 tsp canola oil
Yellow gel food coloring

1. Ready a surface to make your chocolate decorations on. I used acetate/flexible plastic strips, but parchment also works. Now, put each chocolate into a seperate bowl. Add 1 tsp of canola oil to the dark chocolate, and 1/2 to the white chocolate.
2. Microwave the dark chocolate for 30 seconds. Stir, then return to the microwave for 10 second intervals, stirring between each one, until the chocolate is totally melted. Spread a thin layer of the chocolate onto your parchment or acetate and allow it to set until no longer liquid, but still a bit flexible. Using a ruler and a sharp knife, cut the chocolate into 1/2″ strips. Allow to set completely, then flip over the acetate/parchment and peel it off.
3. Cut a long 1/2″ wide parchment strip. Now, using one of your triangles, cut it down to ascertain what shape you need to trim your strips down to. Once you have those two guides, cut your strips down until you have enough for all your triangles. To cut cleanly, hold your knife gently over a tea light to warm it before cutting. Clean your knife with a damp cloth between each cut so you don’t burn any chocolate onto the knife.
4. I drew a template on the back of my acetate, but to make things easier I created a template you can print and lay under parchment or acetate as a guide. Get it here. Melt your white chocolate in the same way you did the dark, stirring in the yellow food coloring at the end. Place parchment or acetate over your printed off guide and spread the white chocolate on top, with enough of the guide showing underneath to give you an idea of where to cut. Let the chocolate set until flexible but not hard, then cut the diamond shapes with a sharp knife.
5. Allow to set entirely, then flip over and peel off the parchment and allow the diamonds to let them separate naturally.

Whipped Cream
100ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) cup whipped cream
25g (2 tbsp) sugar
1/2 tsp gelatin
1 tbsp cold water

1. In a small bowl, combine the water and gelatin and allow to sit for 5 minutes. In a larger bowl, whip the whipped cream and sugar to soft peaks.
2. In a microwave, melt the gelatin 5 seconds at a time or until just melted. Do not boil. Pour the gelatin over the whipped cream and immediately beat it in, beating until medium peaks. Fill into a piping bag fitted with a medium-sized round tip.

ASSEMBLY

Place dark chocolate strips along the edges of your key lime triangles. Pipe a small bulb of whipped cream where the strips meet, then balance the white chocolate diamond on top. Serve!

These are cute, yummy and refreshing. The almond sablé is a great alternative to the standard graham cracker crust, and the chocolate does a good job balancing out the tart filling. If Peridot ate food, I’m sure she’d be a fan of these!