Description
A little sweet and a little tart, this coconut rhubarb tart is the perfect combination of flavors and soft and crunchy textures.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the coconut pastry:
- 50 g (1.75 oz) desiccated coconut
- 150 g (5.3 oz) plain all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 2 tbsp icing (powdered) sugar
- 100 g (3.5 oz) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2-3 tbsp iced water (just enough to bind)
For the filling:
- 700 g (24.6 oz) trimmed rhubarb, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 160 g (5.6 oz) golden caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra to taste
- Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- 4 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 4 large egg yolks (whites reserved for the meringue)
- 50 g (1.75 oz) unsalted butter, melted
For the coconut meringue:
- 3 large egg whites (or 4 smaller egg whites)
- 175 g (6.1 oz) caster sugar
- 40 g (1.4 oz) desiccated coconut
Instructions
For the filling: (can make the day ahead)
- Mix the rhubarb with 70 g (2.4 oz) of the sugar and the orange zest and juice. Scatter in a roasting tray and roast at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes until soft.
- Purée the rhubarb and its juices in a food processor, then pass through a sieve into a saucepan, pushing through with a wooden spoon to extract as much as possible.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining sugar with the cornflour and enough of the rhubarb purée to make a paste. Return to the pan with the rest of the purée. Bring to the boil and bubble for 1 minute to activate the cornflour. Taste — if too tart, add 1 tbsp more sugar.
- Mix the egg yolks with the melted butter, then stir into the rhubarb mixture to make a curd. Scrape into a bowl, cover, cool, and chill.
For the coconut pastry: (can make the day ahead)
- Put the desiccated coconut into a food processor with 1 tbsp of the flour and pulse to a fine mixture. Transfer to a large bowl and mix with the remaining flour. Stir in the icing sugar.
- Add the cold cubed butter and, using your fingertips (or a pastry cutter), rub it into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add just enough iced water to bind. Knead briefly until smooth, wrap in cling film, and chill for 20 minutes (or refrigerate until needed).
To assemble the tart: (can be done the day ahead)
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface — the dough is a bit tricky to work with and easily sticks; use a sheet of baking paper over the top of the dough when rolling if needed. Use the pastry to line a 20 cm × 3.5 cm (8 × 1.3 inch) fluted loose-bottomed tart tin. Patch any cracks with extra dough. Chill for 30 minutes. (You can allow the dough to drape over the sides and trim the edges with a sharp paring knife once fully baked and still warm.)
- Line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans or rice. Blind-bake on a baking sheet for 12 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and bake for another 5 minutes until crisp and golden. Set aside.
- Turn the oven down to 190°C (375°F). Pour the rhubarb curd into the pastry case and bake for 30 minutes until set. Cool completely, then chill.
For the meringue topping: (do on the day of serving)
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Bring the chilled tart to room temperature.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff, add 1 tbsp of the sugar, then whisk until stiff again. Continue adding the remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time, whisking until glossy and stiff. Fold in the desiccated coconut and spoon the meringue over the rhubarb curd, forming pretty peaks.
- Bake for 15 minutes until the meringue is golden and crisp on the outside. Remove, cool, and serve.
Notes
Coconut pastry dough is a little more delicate than standard shortcrust — rolling it between two sheets of baking paper helps a lot. Making the pastry and filling a day ahead means assembly on the day is quick and stress-free.
- Category: Baking