Coconut Cream Tart

Makes: 1 9-inch tart

Ingredients:
1 pastry crust (see recipe below)
Coconut pastry cream (see recipe below)
1 oz good bittersweet chocolate
1-2 Tbsp sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream whipped with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Roll out chilled pastry dough and set in a tart pan. Line with foil and then either enough pie weights or dried beans to cover the bottom. Bake for 15 minutes.

baking tart crust

3. Remove beans or pie weights along with the foil and then poke holes along the bottom of the crust with a fork. Continue to bake for 10-15 minutes or until the tart crust is golden brown.
4. Remove crust and then set oven to broil.
5. Shave enough chocolate to cover the entire bottom of the tart and then sprinkle on enough sugar to thinly cover the chocolate. Set the tart pan under the broiler for 1-3 minutes or until the chocolate melts and the sugar caramelizes. Be careful not to burn the pastry.
6. Let crust cool for at least an hour or until room temperature. When ready to serve, spread the cooled coconut pastry cream into the prepared tart shell and then top with the whipped cream. Sprinkle the coconut flakes on top as well as some microplaned chocolate if desired. Serve.

Coconut Pastry Cream

Makes: Enough for One Tart

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup light or regular coconut milk (either is fine)
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
4 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1. Heat milk and coconut milk on medium heat in a sauce pan until liquid simmers and starts to rise in the pot.
2. Beat egg yolks in a medium bowl with sugar until fully mixed and light yellow. Add in the flour until fully incorporated.
3. Temper the egg mixture with some of the warmed milk by adding about a half cup milk to the egg mixture and quickly mixing. Then add the entire egg mixture to the pot of warmed milk and mix quickly and thoroughly.
4. Add in the coconut and then heat on medium for 2-3 minutes, continually mixing and scraping the sides with a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon to prevent burning.
5. When the mixture is thick and resembles the consistency of pudding (which is basically what it is), turn heat off and add in butter and vanilla. Stir until butter melts.
6. Place custard in a medium-sized bowl and cover with plastic wrap (laying the wrap directly on the custard to prevent a skin from forming). Set in the refrigerator for two hours or up to one day.

tart crust

Tart Dough

Makes: Enough for one 9-inch tart

Ingredients:
1 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4+ cup ice water

coconut cream piecoconut cream pie

Homemade Coconut Cream Tart