"salted chocolate coconut tart. it’s got a chocolate cookie crust, a layer of sticky caramel + sweet candied coconut + rich chocolate ganache, and a generous sprinkling of flaky sea salt. it’s the best chocolatey easter dessert i could dream up, and i think you will LOVE it."
Salted Chocolate and Candied Coconut Tart
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- Recipe Card
Prep time 30mins
Cook time 30mins
Serves or Makes: One 9-inch tart
Recipe Card
For the Chocolate Cookie Crust
ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 sticks salted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Caramel
ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Candied Coconut
ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
For the Chocolate Ganache
ingredients
- 1/2 pound semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Flaked sea salt
- Coconut flakes, optional, for topping
To Make the Chocolate Cookie Crust
Method
Step 1
Sift together the flour and cocoa powder. Set aside.
Step 2
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue to mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla.
Step 3
Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until just incorporated (you don’t want to overmix this). Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Use your hands to press it together into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the dough from the fridge. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Step 5
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Gently lift the dough and press it into a 9inch tart pan, ensuring the dough fills all the edges and comes up the sides (you should have some dough hanging over). Use a rolling pin to press the excess dough off the top edge of the tart pan. NOTE: The dough will be crumbly during this process; just keep using your hands to press and work it together as you roll and lift. Once the dough is in the pan, continue to press it together to fill any holes.
Step 6
Once you have the tart pan evenly filled, top the dough with a large piece of parchment paper. Fill the entire tart with pie weights (dried beans work as well).
Step 7
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Continue to bake for another 5 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly crisp. Let the crust cool completely.
To Make the Caramel
Step 1
Add the sugar to a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium-low heat. Allow the sugar to melt. Once melted, continue to cook until the sugar turns amber brown in color, about 5-6 minutes. Swirl the pan often so that the sugar stays evenly dispersed.
Step 2
Turn off the heat and whisk in the heated heavy cream. Once incorporated, whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. Stir in the vanilla.
Step 3
Allow the caramel to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the caramel into the tart, using a rubber spatula to smooth it out into an even layer. Set aside.
To Make the Candied Coconut
Step 1
Next, combine the sugar, water, and a pinch of salt in a large skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cook the syrup for 30 more seconds. Stir in the coconut. Make sure all of the coconut is coated with syrup.
Step 2
Allow the mixture to cook just another minute or two until most of the liquid is absorbed. The mixture should be “wet”, but not drowning in liquid. Let cool slightly.
Step 3
Distribute the candied coconut across the caramel, pressing the coconut so it creates as much of an even layer as possible.
To Make the Chocolate Ganache
Step 1
Lastly, place the chocolate chips into a mixing bowl. Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan and heat over medium-low until just simmering. Turn off the heat and pour the cream over the chocolate chips.
Step 2
Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth and silky. Stir in the vanilla extract. Allow to cool slightly.
Step 3
Pour the ganache over the coconut, using a rubber spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Top the chocolate with flaky sea salt and coconut flakes (optional). Chill the tart for 1 hour or until serving. Note: If chilling for a couple hours or longer, I like to pull the tart out about 20 minutes before serving.