Coconut Tarts
These semi-flaky pastry tarts are filled with a generous helping of sweet, coconutty goodness—each bite delivering an irresistible burst of flavor.It’s the perfect treat to bring a taste of the tropics to your table. Whether you’re sharing with friends or sneaking a few for yourself (we won’t tell!), these coconut tarts are simple, satisfying, and unforgettable.Let’s take a bite of the islands…
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 4 tbsp cold shortening, cubbed
- 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubbed
- ¼ tsp salt If using sea salt, reduce to ⅛ tsp
- ¼ cup ice-cold water
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar, optional for a lightly sweet crust
Coconut Filling
- 1 cup grated or shredded coconut, fresh, frozen or unsweetened dried
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp almond essence, optional - vanilla essence
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp water
- Optional Add-In: A pinch of ground clove can add depth of flavor.
Instructions
Dough Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cold shortening, and cold butter.
- Using a pastry cutter, food processor, or fingertips, cut the fat into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Small visible butter pieces will help create flakiness.
- Add ice-cold water and mix gently until the dough comes together—avoid overworking.
- Shape into a flat disc, wrap in cling film, and chill for 45 minutes.
Coconut Filling Instructions
- In a saucepan over low heat, add the bay leaf and shredded coconut. If using fresh coconut, you can skip toasting.
- Lightly toast for about 1 minute to release oils and enhance flavor.
- Stir in nutmeg, cinnamon, and almond (or vanilla) essence.
- Add sugar, stirring until just melted. (Do not caramelize—overcooked sugar can cause burning later.)
- Turn off the heat, add water, and stir until the mixture is evenly moistened.
- Cool completely, then remove the bay leaf.
Assemble the Tarts
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Roll chilled dough between two sheets of parchment to ⅛ inch (3mm) thick. Avoid rolling too thin.
- Cut into circles, rectangles, or half-moons.
- Spoon 1–1½ tbsp filling into the center. Fold over and seal edges with a fork or by pinching.
- (Optional) Brush edges with milk for sealing, or tops with milk/egg wash for color.
- Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake 25–30 minutes until lightly golden and crisp.
- Cool 5–10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Yield depends on size and thickness of tarts and filling amount.
If desire a sweeter filling increase to 2/3 cup of sugar
You want the sugar just melted - caramelizing the sugar will result in the filling to burn as it bake.
I used the tips of my finger to work the butter and flour - you can use a pastry cutter or food processor.