Coconut tarts

Made with shortcrust pastry, this popular bakery treat has a wonderfully sweet fragrance from its sticky coconut filling.

Coconut tarts Credit: Alana Dimou

• makes

  16

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 60 g caster sugar
• 90 g (1 cup) shredded coconut
• 30 g unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• 1½ tbsp evaporated milk
• 1 tbsp cake flour
• ½ tsp baking powder

Shortcrust pastry

• 60 g icing sugar
• 135 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 15 g beaten egg
• 200 g (1⅓ cups) plain flour
• 2½ tbsp milk powder

Chilling time: 35 minutes.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly grease sixteen 5 cm round tart tins.
2. To make the pastry, place the icing sugar and butter in a mixing bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the sugar into the butter. Work in the egg, followed by the flour and milk powder until the mixture is just combined (try not to overwork the dough). Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 5 minutes in the fridge.
3. Roll out the dough into a cylinder shape on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into sixteen pieces (about 25 g per piece), roll each piece into a ball and gently press out into 7 cm rounds. Press the rounds into the prepared tins, pushing the dough slightly higher than the top edge. Place the tins on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Pour 50 ml water into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the desiccated coconut and cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the butter until melted and combined. Set aside to cool completely.
5. Whisk the egg and evaporated milk together, then mix into the cooled coconut mixture. Stir in the flour and baking powder.
6. Spoon 2 tablespoons filling into each tart shell (or pipe it in for a more professional finish). Bake for 15–20 minutes, then check them.
7. If the filling is starting to turn golden brown but the pastry is not yet cooked, reduce the temperature to 180°C  and cook for another 5–10 minutes. Serve warm. Best eaten on the day they're made, but can be stored in an airtight container and eaten the next day.

 

Hong Kong Local by ArChan Chan, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $39.99). Photography by Alana Dimou.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.