Coconut Custard with Coconut Crisps

This recipe is adapted from the book,Eat Fat, Lose Fat by the authors of the Nourishing Traditions cookbook, Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon.  In this recipe I'm using coconut milk and coconut sugar, which explains the brown color of the custard.  I've also accompanied the custard with a coconut crisp and fresh Mango.

 Ingredients

makes 4 servings

for the custard...

1 cup real coconut milk, be sure to whisk the liquid and the cream together

   before measuring

1/2 cup coconut sugar

5 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the coconut crisps...

1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

optional...

1 fresh mango cut into 1/2 inch bits

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

To make the custard, combine the coconut milk and the coconut sugar in a medium sauce pan and whisk together until combined.  Heat over medium flame only until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs until well combined and add to the coconut milk mixture, stir to combine. 

Butter 4 custard cups and divide the mixture evenly in each cup.  Place the cups in a baking pan and fill with hot water, about 1/2 way up the sides of the cups and bake for 30-35 minutes or until custard is set.

Remove from the oven and carefully place on a wire rack to cool. 

To make the coconut crisps (or Coconut Sprinkles as in the Eat Fat, Lose Fat book) set the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mix together the desiccated coconut and the maple syrup.  Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet and with a spoon spread evenly, patting down to form a thin 10 or 12 inch round sheet of coconut.  

Bake 45 minutes to an hour or until coconut is dried.  Remove from oven and cool on a rack.  Break apart with your hands and save aside some nice pieces to garnish your custard with and adding mangoes if you like .  The remaining crisps will store nicely in a glass jar to be used for crushing over yogurt or ice cream or just plane snacking. Enjoy!

 

 

Little Rhubarb Custard Tarts

My rhubarb is finely up and ready to be picked.  I've had something in mind to make with it but couldn't find a recipe to satisfy my vision.  I came up with this recipe using a combination of two fillings from two different recipes.  I'd hoped for a layered effect inside the crust but alas, what I ended up with was a fusion of vanilla custard and sweetened rhubarb uncased in a tender flaky crust.  The result, not the layered look I was going for but the taste, is truly divine!  The recipe makes 12  3 inch tarts using a medium sized muffin pan.  I cut the recipe in 1/2 to bake for my husband and myself...now I wish I hadn't.

 Ingredients

Makes 12 3 inch tarts

For the Rhubarb filling...
1 cup of diced fresh rhubarb
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons corn starch, sifted

For the custard filling...
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch, sifted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 large egg yolk, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the dough...
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cold cut into 1/2 inch dice
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup milk

Egg wash...
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of milk

Rhubarb filling...
1.  Combine the rhubarb, sugar and lemon juice in a small heavy bottomed sauce pan.  Set aside for 30 minutes to allow juices to emerge. 

 2.  On medium heat, cook the rhubarb, stirring with a wooden spoon until it begins to soften.  Add the cornstarch and quickly stir it into the rhubarb.  Continue to stir and cook until thickened.  Remove from heat and pour in a small bowl, set aside to cool.

Custard filling...
1.  In a small heavy bottomed sauce pan, whisk together cornstarch and sugar.  Gradually whisk in milk.  Add the butter.  Place on medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened.  Temper the beaten egg yolk with a little of the hot custard stirring as you pour.  Combine the remaining custard to the tempered egg and stir well.  Add the vanilla.  Set aside and allow to cool.

The dough...
1.  In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar baking powder, salt, lemon zest and butter bits.  With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles course crumbs.

2.  Add the milk to the flour mixture and mix together with a fork until the dough starts to come together.  With your hands gather together the dough and form it into a ball, flatten it into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To assemble and bake the tarts...
1.  Divide the dough in half and roll out on a lightly floured work surface, into an 11 inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick.  Using a 3 inch fluted cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and press them centered into the bottoms and up the sides of the muffin pan, rolling the scraps and cutting and filling all 12 sections.

2.  Spoon a small amount of rhubarb filling in the bottom of each shell, just covering the bottom, then with a clean spoon, spoon the custard filling over the top of the rhubarb being careful to fill just below the rim of the shell.

3.  Roll the second half of dough out as before and cut 12 pieces of dough with the 3 inch cutter.  Using a pastry brush, one circle at a time, brush egg wash on the back side of of the edge of the circle and place the egg wash side down onto the tart and press the edges together carefully.  Egg wash the tops of each tart.  Refrigerate the tarts for 30 minutes.

4.  10 minutes before the tarts are ready to come out of the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 425° F.  When the oven is ready, transfer the tarts to the oven and bake for 6 minutes.  Turn the pan and bake another 6 minutes or until a golden brown.  Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack to cool completely.  When completely cooled, run a small sharp knife around the tart shell between the shell and the pan to loosen the tarts.  Enjoy!