Macaroon Tart Shells Recipes

COCONUT MACAROON TART

Steps:

• This decorative tart goes well with ice cream and makes a good dinner party dessert. The coconut is naturally oily, which helps to preserve the tart for a few days.
• Make the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, recipe follows, leaving to chill for 30 minutes before using.
• Remove the paper and beans, brush with a little leftover beaten egg and return to the oven for 2 minutes. If there are any little holes or cracks in the pastry, just patch it up with any leftover raw pastry before you return it to the oven. Remove from the oven and set aside in the tin while you make the filling. The pastry can be baked a day in advance and kept covered until you need it.
• For the filling: whisk the eggs, caster sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Add the desiccated coconut and the melted butter, and mix well. Pour the filling into the cooked pastry crust, and bake in the oven until it is golden brown and just set in the center, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cook's Note: Sometimes I turn the oven down to 325 degrees F, after about 30 minutes, if it has already turned a good golden brown and I don't want it any darker.
• Remove the tart from the oven, and let stand in the pan for about 10 minutes before carefully removing and allowing to cool on a wire rack. Dust the tart with icing sugar to serve.
• Place the flour, sugar, and butter in a food processor and whiz or pulse briefly. Add half the beaten egg and continue to whiz. You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together.
• If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring the dough together. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough, until it is about 3/4-inch thick, and then wrap in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag, and leave in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

COCONUT MACAROON TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine coconut, egg whites, and sugar until mixture holds together when squeezed.
• Form 1 heaping tablespoon coconut mixture into a ball. Press ball into a 2-inch brioche or tartlet tin (or mini muffin cup), making a thumbprint in the center and pressing out so mixture forms a 1/4-inch-thick crust. Repeat with remaining coconut mixture. Place tins on rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake crusts until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Set crusts aside until cool enough to handle. Unmold crusts onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make the ganache: Place both chocolates in a heatproof bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine cream, honey, and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour cream mixture over chocolate and let stand until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk to make smooth.
• Strain chocolate mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl; stir in vanilla extract. Pour ganache into baked tartlet shells, spreading with a spatula to make smooth.
• Make the topping: Pour cream into a chilled mixing bowl. Scrape vanilla seeds into cream; reserve pod for another use. Whisk until soft peaks form. Top ganache with whipped cream; top with toasted shaved coconut and serve.