HHDD # 18 - Chocolate Coconut Raspberry Swirl Tarts

I was a little late finding out about this month's HHDD, but I really didn't want to miss it once I saw the pictures of the delectable little tarts made by Bordeaux over at Marita Say's announcing this round's recipe theme. Chocolate Coconut Tarts.

These looked like the macaroons of my dreams. Crispy and chewy on the coconut but not overpowering with, basically, a chocolate truffle filling. Oh, yea. I'm in.

I didn't want to stray too far from the original recipe because it looks so good and because as soon as I saw it I had a crazy macaroon craving that wouldn't let go. I chose to mix it up a little and add some white chocolate ganache to the mix and use turbinado sugar in the shells, and get creative with the decorating.

Also, as Bordeaux pointed out, these are simple to make. It was nice to make something that required fewer ingredients and steps and still ended up looking like a million bucks. I will definately make these again when I want to impress. They remind me of the old rice crispie commercial where the woman pretends that making a big tray of rice crispie treats was a monumental task and uses the time for time out for herself. She reads a book in the kitchen and then throws some water and flour on her face to look like she has been working so hard. A very nice recipe to have in my arsenal.

Thanks to Barbara for creating such a fun event and to Bordeaux for choosing the theme for this round.

Chocolate Coconut Tarts
(For the original version go to Marita Says!)

For the shell-
2 egg whites
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

For the filling-
1 1/4 cups cream, divided (it is easiest to measure as 1/2 C + 1/8 C each - or just eyeball it)
150g dark chocolate, chopped
150g white chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoon seedless black raspberry preserves

Blackberries (or raspberries) to garnish

Make:
Preheat your oven to 180C (350F).

Mix the egg whites, coconut and sugar well. Scoop the mixture into the bottom of large (or regular muffin tins) muffin papers and with wetted hands (works best this way) press it out to create a base. Put into the oven to bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until it begins to lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for one minute. Gently remove the cups from muffin tins but don't remove the papers if you only created a base.

While this is happening, heat 1/2 + 1/8 cups of the cream in a saucepan until almost boiling.

Remove from heat and pour over the chopped dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl.

Stir until the chocolate has melted into the cream and you have a decadent and rich looking chocolate liquid.

Carefully, pour the dark chocolate halfway up each cup. Put the cups on a plate or tray in the freezer and leave it for 15 minutes or until set.

Heat the remaining 1/2 + 1/8 cup cream in the sauce pan and repeat the steps from above with the white chocolate. Take the shells from the freezer and fill the remainder of the way with the white chocolate.

Heat the raspberry preserves to liquify and drip a few drops into the white chocolate. Use a toothpick to swirl the drops into a marbled pattern. (Note: I actually stirred the raspberry preserves into a little bit of the white chocolate. I'm telling you the way I wish I had done it here. I think it may have kept some of the raspberry preserve color more vibrant.)

Replace the filled shells in the freezer another 15 minutes or until set.

Garnish with blackberries (or raspberries - I just had blackberries on hand) that are brushed with a little of the heated preserves.

Serve them to your guests, or if you are like me, wrap them carefully in plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator to hoard for days (ok, the rest of the afternoon anyway!)