Fresh Coconut Tart with Prickly Pear Sauce Drizzle
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • For the Crust
  • 1 cup blanched almonds, toasted and cooled
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs (from 6 to 7 slices firm white sandwich bread)
  • 150 grams unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
  • For the Filling
  • 2 fresh brown coconut
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cups slivered blanched almonds, toasted + ¼ cup for decoration
  • For the Prickly Pear Sauce
  • 3 prickly pears
  • 1-2 tbsps lime juice
  • 3 tbsps sugar
  • 2 tbsps rum (optional)
Instructions
  1. To make the crust finely grind the almonds with sugar in a food processor. Add the bread crumbs and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl and add the butter, working the mixture till it comes together. Press, evenly over bottom and up side of the tart pan. Chill tart shells while making filling.
  2. For the filling, first put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F/205°C.
  3. Pierce softest eye of the coconuts with a small screwdriver and drain liquid through a sieve into a bowl and reserve. (If it tastes sweet, the coconut is fresh; if it tastes off, the coconut is rancid and should be discarded.) Bake coconut 15 minutes, then cool, until it can be handled.
  4. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F/175°C.
  5. Break shell of coconuts with a hammer, then remove flesh with point of a strong knife, levering it out carefully. Remove brown skin with a sharp knife. Shred coconut in a clean food processor or hand-grate with medium-size holes of a box grater. Measure 2½ cups loosely packed coconut and reserve. Transfer remaining coconut to a pan and dry roast for a couple of minutes, stirring regularly, until slightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool.
  6. Bring reserved coconut liquid, cream, and sugar to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until reduced to about 2 cups, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, then stir in reserved 2½ cups untoasted coconut, yolks, vanilla, and reserved toasted almonds (2/3 cup) until combined well.
  7. Put tart pan on a large baking sheet, then spoon coconut filling evenly into shells, stirring filling in between additions to get even amounts of solids and liquid and bake until filling is set and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool tart on a rack.
  8. For the prickly pear sauce: Wearing rubber gloves, cut a ½-inch slice off both ends of each pear, then make a ½-inch-deep incision with a paring knife down side of each pear. Scoop out the flesh. Coarsely chop flesh, then purée. Sieve through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl using a rubber spatula.
  9. Bring half the purée and 3 tablespoons sugar to a simmer in a heavy saucepan, stirring, then simmer briskly, stirring frequently, until reduced to ½ cup, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer purée to a bowl, then cool to room temperature and stir in uncooked purée. Season to taste with lime juice, additional sugar, and rum (if using).
  10. Using tip of a knife, loosen edge of 1 tart crust from pan, then invert tart into your hand, removing pan, and transfer tart, right side up, to a serving plate. Liberally sprinkle the remaining toasted coconut and slivered almonds. Drizzle the prickly pear sauce in whichever quantity you like.
  11. Dust with powdered sugar.
  12. Serve with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
Recipe by Box of Spice at https://boxofspice.com/2015/10/fresh-coconut-tart-with-prickly-pear-sauce-drizzle/