Ingredients
For the pastry
- 120 g unsalted butter chilled and cubed
- 25 g confectioner’s sugar icing sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 200 g plain flour
- ⅛ tsp salt
For the Filling:
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Position an oven rack in the lower third (just below centre) of the oven.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir flour, icing sugar and salt together to mix well.
3. Add chilled butter cubes and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles a sandy mixture or like breadcrumbs.
4. Add egg yolks, and cut into the flour-butter mixture with a dough scraper until the dough starts to come together. Finish up kneading by hand until the dough is smooth and even coloured. DO NOT OVER-KNEAD or else the pastry will be tough.
5. Set it in the chiller while you make the filling.
1. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, milk, coconut milk and yellow food colouring (optional). Whisk by hand until sugar dissolves.
2. Add in melted butter and whisk to combine well. Tip in grated coconut and stir to combine well. (If using desiccated coconut, please read notes below.)
1. Line the tart moulds with pastry dough, pressing gently into the moulds. The thickness should ideally be between 3 – 4 mm.
2. Line the tart shells with a cut square of baking paper. Fill with baking beans or rice. OR instead of using weights, lightly prick the base with a fork. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tart shells are a light golden brown.
3. Remove the baking beans and baking paper.
1. Spoon the coconut filling into each tart shell. Do not spoon too much liquid, leaving about a 2-mm border around the tart edge clear of filling. Note: If desired, strain the coconut filling before filling. Do not press any juices out from the flesh when you do this, as it should be soaked as heavily as possible. Then, fill tart shells with the flesh. Finally, spoon just enough of the liquid custard to fill up to almost the edge of the tart. Don’t overdo it, otherwise the custard will bubble over the edges of the shells during baking.
2. To create a slightly dome-shaped filling, pile some strained coconut flesh in the centre (please read Notes below).
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until coconut tops brown evenly. Bake for a few minutes longer if you like the crusted tops.
4. Remove from oven and let the tarts cool in their moulds for 15 minutes. Gently remove from tart moulds and cool on a baking rack.