Samoa. Yes, SAMOA, everyone’s favorite Girl Scout cookie. The box that disappeared waaaay before the thin mints were even opened. To counteract the naughtiness, the crust is whole wheat pastry flour (a bit o’ fiber here, a bit o’ fiber there.) Chocolate, caramel, and coconut – oh yes!
It can be eaten soon after cooling, or may even be better after being refrigerated overnight, as the goopiness sets to create a more cohesive tart experience.
“Samoa” Tart
Dough
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 generous tablespoon natural cane sugar
heaping 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼” cubes
1-4 tablespoons ice water
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup natural cane sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted in the oven
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
1/4 cup cacao nibs
one 4 oz. bar good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
1.) To make the crust, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bow. Add the cubed butter and use a pastry cutter, fork, or even your fingers to break up the butter into small pieces the size of peas. Add the vanilla and water, as needed, until the dough just barely comes together. It will be very dry. Press into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill thoroughly; at least an hour. Remove and allow the dough to come back to room temperature.
2.) Grease bottom of a 9-10 inch tart pan and then line the bottom with parchment paper. Unwrap dough and, using the palms of your hands and whole lot of elbow grease, press and press and PRESS that dough out as thinly as your can, around the bottom of the pan, and up its hilly sides with your fingers. If you press a hole into the dough, not to worry, just patch it up with a bit of the overhang. Place in the freezer and chill thoroughly; at least an hour.
3.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove crust from freezer and bake for 20-30 minutes; until lightly browned. While crust is baking, make the filling.
4.) Heat the cream, sugar, and salt in a heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. When it begins to foam and rise up, remove from heat, and stir in the coconut and vanilla. Scrape filling into the prepared crust.
5.) Bake for 10 minutes, then use a heat-proof spatula or the like to lightly tap all around the surface to break up any caramelization/setting that is occurring. This helps the tart to bake evenly and prevents it from wrinkling up. Bake for another 10 minutes, tap again, and then bake for a final 10 minutes or so for a total baking time of about 30 minutes.
6.) Remove from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and immediately sprinkle those lovely little nibs all around the tart’s surface. Wait a minute or so, and then sprinkle the chopped up chocolate bar across the tart. When completely cooled, remove the tart ring gently. Don’t even think about whipped cream.