Coconut Tarts With Prickly Pear Sauce

Serves: 6

Dallas Effertz

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

49

Spice

58

Sweetness

56

Sourness

37

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.4

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 cup

Heavy Cream

Directions:

1

Make crust: Line bottom of each tart pan with a round of parchment or wax paper

2

Finely grind 1/3 cup almonds with sugar in a food processor (reserve remaining almonds for filling), then add bread crumbs and pulse until combined

3

Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until evenly moistened

4

Divide mixture among tart pans and press evenly over bottom and up side of each tart pan

5

Chill tart shells while making filling

6

Line bottom of each tart pan with a round of parchment or wax paper

7

Finely grind 1/3 cup almonds with sugar in a food processor (reserve remaining almonds for filling), then add bread crumbs and pulse until combined

8

Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until evenly moistened

9

Divide mixture among tart pans and press evenly over bottom and up side of each tart pan

10

Chill tart shells while making filling

11

Make filling: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F

12

Pierce softest eye of coconut with a metal skewer or small screwdriver and drain liquid through a sieve into a bowl and reserve

13

(If it tastes sweet, the coconut is fresh; if it tastes off, the coconut is rancid and should be discarded

14

) Bake coconut 15 minutes, then cool until it can be handled

15

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F

16

Break shell of coconut with a hammer or back of a heavy cleaver, then remove flesh with point of a strong knife, levering it out carefully

17

Remove brown skin with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler

18

Shred coconut in cleaned food processor fitted with medium-size shredding disk or hand-grate with medium-size teardrop holes of a box grater

19

Measure 2 1/2 cups loosely packed coconut and reserve

20

Transfer remaining coconut to a shallow baking pan and toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes

21

Cool in pan on a rack and reserve for garnish

22

Leave oven on

23

While coconut toasts, bring reserved coconut liquid, cream, and sugar to a simmer in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved

24

Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until reduced to about 1 cup, 25 to 35 minutes

25

Transfer to a large bowl, then stir in reserved 2 1/2 cups untoasted coconut, yolks, vanilla, and reserved toasted almonds (2/3 cup) until combined well

26

Put tart pans 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

27

Cool tarts on a rack

28

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F

29

Pierce softest eye of coconut with a metal skewer or small screwdriver and drain liquid through a sieve into a bowl and reserve

30

(If it tastes sweet, the coconut is fresh; if it tastes off, the coconut is rancid and should be discarded

31

) Bake coconut 15 minutes, then cool until it can be handled

32

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F

33

Break shell of coconut with a hammer or back of a heavy cleaver, then remove flesh with point of a strong knife, levering it out carefully

34

Remove brown skin with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler

35

Shred coconut in cleaned food processor fitted with medium-size shredding disk or hand-grate with medium-size teardrop holes of a box grater

36

Measure 2 1/2 cups loosely packed coconut and reserve

37

Transfer remaining coconut to a shallow baking pan and toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes

38

Cool in pan on a rack and reserve for garnish

39

Leave oven on

40

While coconut toasts, bring reserved coconut liquid, cream, and sugar to a simmer in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved

41

Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until reduced to about 1 cup, 25 to 35 minutes

42

Transfer to a large bowl, then stir in reserved 2 1/2 cups untoasted coconut, yolks, vanilla, and reserved toasted almonds (2/3 cup) until combined well

43

Put tart pans 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

44

Cool tarts on a rack

45

Make sauce: Wearing rubber gloves, cut a 1/2-inch slice off both ends of each pear, then make a 1/2-inch-deep incision with a paring knife down side of each pear

46

Peel off rind, starting from incision, and discard

47

Coarsely chop flesh, then purée in cleaned food processor

48

Force pur&eacut;e through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl using a rubber spatula

49

Bring 1 cup purée and 3 tablespoons sugar to a simmer in cleaned 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring, then simmer briskly, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1/2 cup, 10 to 12 minutes

50

Transfer cooked purée to a bowl, then cool to room temperature and stir in uncooked purée

51

Season to taste with lime juice, additional sugar, and orange liqueur (if using)

52

Using tip of a paring 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, then repeat with remaining tarts

53

Serve tarts topped with dollops of crema and sprinkled with toasted coconut, then spoon sauce around tarts

54

Wearing rubber gloves, cut a 1/2-inch slice off both ends of each pear, then make a 1/2-inch-deep incision with a paring knife down side of each pear

55

Peel off rind, starting from incision, and discard

56

Coarsely chop flesh, then purée in cleaned food processor

57

Force pur&eacut;e through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl using a rubber spatula

58

Bring 1 cup purée and 3 tablespoons sugar to a simmer in cleaned 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring, then simmer briskly, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1/2 cup, 10 to 12 minutes

59

Transfer cooked purée to a bowl, then cool to room temperature and stir in uncooked purée

60

Season to taste with lime juice, additional sugar, and orange liqueur (if using)

61

Using tip of a paring 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, then repeat with remaining tarts

62

Serve tarts topped with dollops of crema and sprinkled with toasted coconut, then spoon sauce around tarts