Belizean Coconut Tart

Any coconut lover will have a hard time resisting a Belizean coconut tart! 

Belizean coconut tarts are often made to be sold for a little extra money. Why? Because they sell fast; the word has gotten out that they are a small decadent treat.  At your average gas station, you might see a few in a case next to the register, likewise, they are often sold at fundraisers or as a side business.

Making Coconut Tarts:

For the correct coconut, tart look, use a tart pan: this is a pan very similar to a muffin tin, but the edge is crinkled, and the cups are a little shallower.  In a pinch, a muffin tin works well too!

The most time-consuming part of making these tarts is cracking and grating the coconut. Check out our coconut-cracking tips here!  Other than that, it is a fairly simple recipe with simple ingredients!

Tips for the lactose-free:

If you, like us, have someone in your house that is allergic to lactose, you are often avoiding recipes that use sweetened condensed milk.  There are two replacements for sweetened condensed milk that we have discovered:

• Sweetened condensed coconut milk or sweetened condensed soy milk: The coconut version can often be purchased at a Thai grocery, Asian grocery store, or large supermarket with an Asian section.  The soy version can be found in the vegan section of large groceries.  Amazon also sells both these products, although they are more expensive than the same thing from the supermarket.  This may only be an option for lactose-free-Belizean coconut tart lovers in large cities in the US/Canada… let us know what you find!
• Caramelizing your own coconut milk:  Pour coconut milk (about 1.5-2 cups) into a saucepan over high heat stirring constantly with a whisk.  As coconut milk begins to caramelize, add brown sugar (.5 – 1 cup) and continue to stir.  This caramelized coconut milk works a little differently once baked in the filling, and is browner in color,  but is still delicious.

For this recipe, we found sweetened condensed coconut milk to be an amazing substitute, almost identical to using normal sweetened condensed milk!

Belizean Coconut Tart Recipe

Coconut Tart Filling Ingredients:

• 1 coconut, grated
• 1/2 can of condensed milk
• 1/2 nutmeg seed, grated
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• Pinch of salt (optional)

Coconut Tart Dough Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 lb shortening
• Cold water
• 1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Prepare the coconut: Drain, crack, chip out the meat, peel off the brown skin, and grate. Set aside. (For complete instructions on how to crack a coconut, search for “coconut” under “ingredients” on this site!)
3. Make the dough: In a bowl, combine flour, shortening, and salt (optional), mixing by hand. Gradually add cold water as needed until you have a soft, pliable dough.
4. Form the tart shells: Pull off ping-pong-ball-sized portions of dough. Roll them into disks and press into your tart pans.
5. Make the filling: In another bowl, combine all filling ingredients, adding a pinch of salt (optional) for extra flavor.
6. Assemble the tarts: Spoon the filling into the dough crusts. Fill them just below the top edge of the crust, as the filling will expand slightly in the oven.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the crust is cooked through.

Pro Tips:

• Add a pinch of cinnamon to the filling to enhance the flavor.
• For a richer crust, substitute half of the shortening with cold, cubed unsalted butter.
• Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to the tart dough for a slightly sweet crust.
• Brush the tart crusts with a beaten egg before filling to prevent the crust from getting soggy.

Enjoy these delicious and optimized Tropical Belizean Coconut Tarts as a delightful taste of the tropics at home! Do enjoy the flavor of coconut?

Try our other recipes featuring coconut:

• Creole Bread
• Coconut Cream Pie
• Johnny Cakes