Pandan Coconut Tart/Screwpine Coconut Tart

I bought a fresh bunches of screwpine leaves during my weekend marketing routine for my rice dish. After using some for the dish, i still got few leaves left in my fridge and decided to combine it with coconut flakes to make pandan coconut tart. I started to grind my fresh pandan leaves and amazed with the bright green extract of the leaves. The heavenly smell of fresh pandan juice goes well with sweet coconut flakes which i decided to fill my cute tart moulds.

I didn't use green food coluring for my coconut filling as i had a vibrant green extract of my fresh pandan leaves but if you wish, you can use few drops of them for an attractive green.  If you couldn't get fresh pandan leaves no worries, you still can prepare the tart with the help of green food coluring and bottled pandan flavour which is easily available in the market. The end result is almost as satisfying as the fresh extract of pandan.

For The Pastry

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 egg
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup cold butter,diced
1/2 tsp salt


For The Coconut Filling

2 cups fresh grated coconut
1 tbsp custard powder
1/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 tbsp condensed milk
3 screwpine/pandan leaves
2-3 drops apple green coluring(optional)

For Garnishing

Red cherries,chopped


Methods

Preheat oven at 350'F or 175'C with the baking rack in the middle of the oven

In a bowl, sift together flour,salt and cornstarch. Add in the sugar and mix well to combined. With your finger tips rub the cold diced butter into the flour mixture to get a crumble texture.

Add the egg and knead to form a dough. Flatten the dough into disk and cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

In a blender, blend screwpine/pandan leaves with 1/3 cup of water for 1-2 minutes. Strain the juice. Measure 3 tbsp of pandan juice.

In another bowl, ,combine together 3 tbsp of extracted pandan juice, grated coconut,custard powder,melted butter,eggs,sugar and condensed milk. Mix well. This is the time to add the apple green colur (if using)

Remove the pastry from the fridge and divide the pastry into 12 equal balls. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the tart mould and press it all the way up to completely cover the mould. Trim edges for a neat finishing.

Fill the tarts with coconut filling and with the excess flour from the trim edges, form into 2 short logs and place on the tart overlapping into one another. Bake for 30-35 minutes or till lightly golden.

Cool the tarts for 5 minutes and unmould the tarts and cool completely on wire rack.

Garnish with red or green cherries

Serve with a hot cuppa of tea

Notes

• If you can't get fresh grated coconut, replace it with store bought moist Hawaii coconut flakes