I found a recipe for something calling itself Coconut and Lemon Bakewell Tart. The recipe I found was on John Whaite’s website . Now this is not what anyone would consider to be a Bakewell Tart, but it does have some similarities, in that it has a pastry base, a type of frangipane filling and a sweet layer between the two.
However in this case the frangipane has almonds and coconut and the sweet layer is lemon curd.
In the recipe below I use a different pastry base to the one on John Whaite’s site, since I prefer the sweet crust base.
The result of my attempt is wonderful. A very moist tart, with a lemon and coconut flavour. A crisp pastry that crumbles and melts in the mouth. I was so keen to try it that I didn’t wait for the icing to completely firm up.
Ingredients:
For the Pastry – Pate Sucree – from Tomas Keller’s book Bouchon
- 375g Plain Flour
- 46 g Icing sugar +
- 94 g Icing sugar
- 47 g Almond Flour
- 225g Butter, at room temperature
- 56g eggs
- half a vanilla pod, split lengthways
For the Filling:
- 175g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 175g caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 85g desiccated coconut
- 90g ground almonds
- 1 tbsp flour
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 150g lemon curd
- 1 egg yolk
- 250g Icing Sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp dessicated coconut
- zest of a lemon
- Place the flour into a bowl and sift in the 46g of icing sugar and the almond flour.
- Whisk to combine those ingredients.
- In another bowl, of a stand mixer if you have one, place the butter. Using the paddle attachment cream the butter until it is the consistency of mayonnaise.
- Sift in the 94 grams of icing sugar, incorporate and mix on medium low for 1 minute
- Scrape down the edge and bottom of the bowl
- Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add to the mixture
- Mix for 30 seconds
- Add the dry ingredients, from the other bowl, in two additions, mixing for 15-30 seconds each time.
- Add the eggs and mix until just combined 15-30 seconds.
- Transfer the dough to your work surface and, using the heel of your hand, smear the dough and work it together.
- Divide the dough into 2 and form each half into a 4×6 inch rectangle, about .75 inch thick.
- Wrap each in a double layer of clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- You will need one of these packages of pastry for this recipe. The other can be refrigerated for two days, or frozen for up to one month.
- Roll out the pastry to line the tart tin, pressing the pastry into the grooves. Prick the base with a fork and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5.
- For the frangipane, beat the sugar and butter very well until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well. Gently fold in the coconut, almonds, flour and zest, then set aside.
- Beat the lemon curd with the egg yolk and set aside.
- Line the pastry case with baking paper or foil and fill with beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and paper and bake for another 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, paint the base and sides with the egg white and return to the oven for one more minute – this will create a waterproof coat on the pastry to prevent any soggy bottoms.
- Allow the pastry to cool slightly before spreading the curd over the base. Fill a piping bag with the frangipane and pipe it on to the lemon curd in concentric rings, until the lemon curd can no longer be seen. Return to the oven for 30–35 minutes, or until the frangipane is a golden brown and very slightly wobbly. Remove and allow to cool.
- Put the icing sugar in a bowl. Slowly add the water, mixing until you have a pourable but thick icing. When the tart has cooled, pour the icing on top, and sprinkle with desiccated coconut and lemon zest.