Pineapple Coconut Macaroon Tart with Pineapple Blossoms

Pineapple Coconut Macaroon Tart with Pineapple Blossoms

by | Jan 7, 2018 | 0 comments

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Pineapple Coconut Macaroon tart with Pineapple Blossoms

This Pineapple Coconut Macaroon Tart has a fragrant, tropical filling and a clever base made of coconut macaroon mix means you can line the tart without blind baking or rolling out pastry! The pineapple blossoms are easier to make than you think!

Pineapple Macaroon Tart with Pineapple Blossoms

Pineapple Tart reminds me of my summer. Of hot sunny days spent playing outside before being yelled at by my mother to come inside ‘before you get burnt to a crisp’. It wasn’t the UV rays that convinced me though – it was what was waiting on a side plate on the kitchen counter. A slice of, what in our house was dubbed, ‘Summer Pie’. The ‘pie’, which was more like a fridge tart really, consisted of whipped cream, condensed milk, pineapple jelly, crushed tinned pineapple all layered with coconut tea biscuits. Served ice cold, it tasted of sunshine and school holidays – bliss!

Pineapple

The moment my friends over at Natura Sugars asked me to create a recipe inspired by their beautiful Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar, one look at the bright yellow bag instantly reminded me of my mom’s pineapple tart (Summer Pie). So I’ve made a slightly more sophisticated, grown-up version with a clever shortcut instead of the usual pastry tart case: coconut macaroons!

Pineapple blossoms with Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar

The Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar is perfect for the pineapple coconut macaroon tart filling – not only because the fine crystals dissolve easily, but it’s crafted in tropical Mauritius (how fitting!) I’ve also used it in the coconut crust as it lends a lovely subtle caramel flavour. Serve this pineapple tart straight out the fridge, ice cold with a scoop of ice cream and you’ll have absolutely no doubt why it’s called Summer Pie!

PINEAPPLE COCONUT MACAROON TART WITH PINEAPPLE BLOSSOMS

Serves 8-10

 

COCONUT MACAROON CRUST

2 cups (160g) desiccated coconut

2 egg whites

1/4 cup (55g) Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar

 

PINEAPPLE FILLING

1 small pineapple, peeled

1 cup (250ml) cream (you could use coconut cream, if you like)

2 eggs

3 egg yolks

½ cup (110g) Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar

½ cup (125ml) pineapple juice

zest and juice of 1 lime

few drops yellow food colouring

 

MERINGUE TOPPING

1 egg white

1/4 cup (60ml) Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar

 

To make the pineapple coconut macaroon tart, preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan-forced). Grease 1 large loose-bottomed 25cm tart tin. Place the coconut, egg whites and sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. Press mixture firmly into the base and sides of the tart tin. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until just golden. Thinly slice the pineapple and set aside on a lined baking sheet. Place the pineapple slices in an oven preheated to 100°C (80°C fan-forced) for 1 hour or until dried. While still warm, press the pineapple blossoms into a muffin tray for form flower shapes. Allow to cool completely. To make the filling, whisk the cream, eggs, sugar, pineapple juice and colouring together. Strain the mixture into a clean bowl and carefully pour the filling into the baked tart shell. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool at room temperature before refrigerating until completely set. To make the topping, whisk the egg white unti soft peak stage then gradually add the sugar to form a glossy meringue. Pile on top of the set tart and toast with a blowtorch (or preheat our oven’s grill to it’s highest setting). Decorate the tart with the pineapple blossoms.

Watch the video below for the full instructions:

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Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

by | Jan 13, 2017 | 1 comment

Before I go any further, I know you’re looking at this cake and thinking ‘But I’m trying to diet here! Why are you posting cake in January?!’ Well, number 1: If you’re looking for diet recipes then you’re in the WRONG place. Number 2: This IS my healthy food, people! Just look at this ingredient list – it basically reads like a salad bar! Pecan nuts, smashed banana, pineapple, lime – like I said, healthy food 😉

But let me get serious for a minute (since we’re in the month of dieting and eating plans); I’ve never loved the idea of attaching any form of guilt to food, especially when it’s one of the things we need to stay alive. No matter what, each day, we all need to stop what we’re doing to fuel our bodies to survive. Like breathing and sleeping. And to feel guilty about that? To constantly want to be somebody else’s idea of perfect? To me, that’s not my idea of happiness. There is a reason we are born with tastebuds and why we get so much pleasure out of eating – because eating is one of the best parts about life and depriving yourself of that (if you’re a food-lover like me), is no way to live.

Obviously, I’m not saying you should eat cake every day – I certainly don’t! But I believe it’s all about balance (or at least trying to achieve balance), and if you want a slice of cake, if  it’s going to make a crappy day at work better or give you a moment of bliss when things are all getting too much, then I say have it. Eat the cake. I by no means have a perfect body, but I love it – every curve (or bump) is testament to my insane love of baking and if good food makes me happy then bring on the love handles because you know what? My worst nightmare is being hit by a bus and in that moment regretting swopping that decadent slice of cake for a salad. So just eat the cake. Or more specifically, eat THIS cake.

 

 

Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe and image originally created for Food and Home Entertaining Magazine

Serves 12

 

1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil

2 large eggs

4 medium-sized very ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract

350g (1 ¾ cups) Natura Sugars Golden Caster Sugar

350g (3 cups) self-raising flour, sifted

1 tsp (5ml) ground cinnamon

1 x 425g tin crushed pineapple, drained well

50g (1/2 cup) pecans, chopped

 

FOR THE ICING

400g (3 ½ cups) Natura Sugars Demerara Icing sugar

150g unsalted butter, (at room temperature)

200g full fat cream cheese

zest and juice of 1 limes

Edible flowers, to decorate

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C (conventional). Grease and line two 23cm round cake tins. Whisk together the oil and eggs then add the bananas, vanilla and sugar. Fold in the sifted flour, cinnamon, pineapple and pecan nuts. Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning the cakes out to cool completely. To make the icing, cream the icing sugar and butter until light and fluffy then whip in the cream cheese, zest and juice until just combined. Layer the cakes with the frosting then decorate with edible flowers.