INTRODUCTION
Coconut tart, a childhood snack that I really missed. Since I started blogging, I have never prepared this tropical coconut tart.. In fact, I have not eaten these tarts for years even though Singapore traditional bakery shops still have this pastry item in their shelf.
I like the tarts for its aromatic shredded coconuts and the crispy tart shell. When I baked the tarts, the house was full of coconut aroma and I definitely wouldn’t regret making these tarts. In fact, I have finished the tarts and do not have any extra to give it to my neighbours.. Which is rather unusual.
I do not think I need to explain more, it is just a tart with nice aromatic shredded coconut in it. The tart shell is crispy and yet the coconut filling is moist and I have to thank Aunty Yochana for sharing her recipe in one of her 2006 posts.
WHAT IS NEEDED
Dough (Make about 6 big tarts)
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25 grams egg (lightly beaten)
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100 grams plain flour (sifted)
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20 grams of icing sugar (sifted)
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50 grams of chilled butter cut into cubes
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1 teaspoon of vanilla essence.
Coconut Fillings
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200 grams shredded coconuts
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75 grams butter (melted)
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100 grams castor sugar
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2 eggs
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1 tablespoon of condensed milk
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3 tablespoons of water
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Yellow colouring (optional). This illustration does not use yellow colouring.
STEPS OF PREPARATION
Preparing The Tart Shells
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In a big mixing bowl, put butter cubes and sifted plain flour together. Use the finger tips to rub the butter cubes and flours together until it become crumby. Add in sifted icing sugars and continue to rub until well mix.
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Add lightly beaten eggs and vanilla essence, mix slowly until it become a dough.
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Put it in the fridge to chill for 20-30 minutes. Note that if you are able to handle soft dough, you can by pass this step.
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Take the dough from the fridge and use a rolling pin to roll it into a flat sheet with about 0.5 cm thickness.
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Use a round cutter to cut about the size of the mould. Note that this step is optional and will help you to roughly gauge the amount of dough required and you still need to adjust the quantity of dough as you progress. Use your hand to press the dough against the sides and make it as even as possible.
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Use a knife or anything sharp to cut off the sides. Use a fork to make some holes to let any trapped air to escape. Set aside for later use.
If you have extra dough, you can just use this dough to prepare additional tarts shell, bake and keep it for other tarts such as egg tarts or quiche.
Preparing the coconut fillings
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In a big mixing bowl, mix all ingredients using a spoon or spatula until well mixed.
Assembling the tarts and baking the tarts
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Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree Celsius.
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Scope the fillings into the tarts and bake in the oven’s lower shelf. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the tart shells become golden brown.
CONCLUSION
Personally, I like these tarts very much. It is really a sweet indulgence and can be addictive when I take the first bite. This is the traditional version without any alteration.
As my tart moulds are slightly higher than the commercially sold coconuts tarts, I managed to make 6 big tarts. However, they are very moist in the middle but the tart shells are extremely crispy. Handling the tart shells’ dough have to be as light and as fast as possible such that the pastries will melt in your mouth.
Hope that readers can try to make these tropical tarts.. I said in my Facebook timeline that I am just like a pregnant woman who constantly craved for childhood and traditional foods… Shall these foods be marginalized by the influx of foreign cuisines?
Have a nice day and cheers.
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For more recipes, you can refer to my RECIPE INDEX (updated as at 28 July 2014) here and you can follow me at PINTEREST or visit the blog’s FACEBOOK PAGE to keep abreast of my future posts.
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Comments are closed
thank you for linking these yummy looking tarts – i do like coconut.
It is great that you have added our GBBO badge but next time you link up please remember to add a link to mine and Helen’s blogs. x
Thanks for dropping by and I will.
Oooh, not heard of these before – the texture looks great 🙂 Thanks for linking up to #recipeoftheweek.
Hi Kenneth,
Thanks for joining our Pin It Monday Hop party. I am glad to have found you. So you are in singapore? We are too 🙂 Oh, these looks really yummy. I never heard of this nor saw it in the bakery here. I am pinning this.
Judy, I am so surprise that you are from Singapore. Go traditional bakery around neighborhood and not those in shopping center. Cheers.
It’s always good to make something you remember from when you were little, these sound lovely 🙂
Thanks
Is it alright that i make the dough the night before, keep in fridge for assembling and baking the next morning?
Yes, this type of pie crust you can do in advance. If you wish you can press in the mould and keep. So the next morning, you just spoon in the filling and bake.
Hi kenneth,
Do I need to use fresh shredded coconut from the wet market (which is hard to get ) or can I buy ready packed grated coconut from baking supply stores?
best to use freshly grated coconut . Taste is not the same with dessicated coconut
Thanks kenneth!