Pineapple, Passion Fruit & Coconut Tarts

As January is finally over, wow that was a long month right? I'm looking forward to Spring, I know it's not here yet. But as soon as I see daffodils, I get excited for bright food, flowers and the prospect of sunny cold days. This recipe is inspired by a meringue I saw in the latest edition of Sainsbury's magazine. Combining pineapple, coconut and passion fruit. I've wanted to practice my pastry skills a bit more and these tart cases have remained unused since I bought them.

Shortcrust pastry, caramelised pineapple, coconut cream and shavings, topped with a helping of tangy passion fruit. Flavours that simply go together, a mixture of textures and tangs that can transport you straight in to Spring, sort of.

Ingredients

Yields 6, Prep time including chilling 2 hours, cook time 25 mins

• 1 roll of ready made shortcrust pastry
• 1 fresh pineapple or small tin of crushed pineapple
• 1 tblsp of light brown sugar
• 1 tsp of butter
• 3 tblsp of icing sugar
• Seeds of 1 vanilla pod
• Handful of coconut shavings
• 2 passion fruit
• Few sprigs of mint (optional)
• Greaseproof paper
• Baking beads
• 400g of coconut cream (cream from 1 tin of coconut milk)
• 6 tart cases

Directions

1. If using cream from a tin of coconut milk, place your unopened tin in the fridge for 1 hour. This helps all the cream settle at the top and is easier to scoop out.
2. Whilst your cream is chilling, make your pastry cases. Roll out your pre made pastry, dust lightly with flour.
3. Place your tart cases on to the pastry, to measure out a square just a little bigger than your case (about 5cm).
4. Gently press in your pastry to the inner edges, then using a knife, level off the top edges.
5. Pre heat the oven to 180 fan/200c/gas mark 6, place a square of grease proof paper on top of your pastry and weigh down with baking beads. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove your beads and paper and bake for a further 10. Once cooked, leave to completely cool before popping out of your case.
6. For the pineapple, if using fresh, chop 6 tablespoons worth up small and pat with kitchen towel. If using crushed, spoon 6 tablespoons in to a fine sieve and push out as much juice as possible.
7. In a pan, add the brown sugar and wait for it to dissolve, do not stir (a few minutes), add butter, mix and then add pineapple. It may smoke so be careful, mix together and cook for a minute.
8. Leave pineapple mixture to cool.
9. To make your coconut cream, simply mix in the seeds of the vanilla pod and the icing sugar.
10. To assemble your tarts, layer one tablespoon of pineapple in to the base, top with a good helping of coconut cream. If not serving just yet, you can simply re-fridgerate until later. If serving straight away, sprinkle on coconut shavings and spoon over passion fruit. Top with mint.

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