I can be lazy. Actually, I can be very lazy.
Some days I have the energy of a two-year old. Other days, I have the energy of the parent of a two-year old.
So, when I came across this recipe for a Coconut Chocolate Tart in Donna Hay’s New Food Fast that called for only 5 ingredients, I immediately thought to myself, “Now that’s a dessert I can do.”Not only did the recipe read easy and approachable, but it seemed delicious. Rich. Sweet. Layered.
I was excited to get started. And then came the snag (Isn’t there always a snag?). The recipe wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought. It called for desiccated coconut. I am no stranger to a grocery store but I had no idea what desiccated coconut was. I had to ask my know-it-all friend…Google.
It’s finely ground unsweetened coconut. An ingredient not readily available in most American supermarkets (I hear Whole Foods stocks it).
At that point I was very close to abandoning the Coconut Chocolate Tart ship, but I decided to tough it out and work around the hurdle.
That’s when I decided to make the recipe even simpler. Instead of an easy 5-ingredient tart, this would now be an Ultra-Easy 4-ingredient tart. I decided to use sweetened coconut flakes since everyone carries them.
I omitted the sugar since the flakes were sweetened. And I toasted the flakes to dry them and make it easier to pulse them in a blender. The toasting would also give the shells a nice nutty flavor which I thought would work well with the chocolate.
So, that was the plan. And guess what? The plan worked! Hooray! 
The tarts have this beautifully rich flavor (I used bittersweet chocolate). And if you top the tarts with a tad bit of coarse salt they have this incredible balanced, sophisticated and complex flavor.
I can imagine serving them with coffee or tea. Or, since they are so small and portable, they would be perfect for a cocktail party.
If you’re looking to serve an easy, delish tart, this is a must try.
Enjoy!
ULTRA-EASY COCONUT CHOCOLATE TART
Adapted form New Food Fast by Donna Hay
1 egg white
7oz sweetened shredded flakes
2/3cup heavy cream
5oz quality dark chocolate, chopped
2 TSP coarse salt (optional garnish)
Preheat oven to 350˚.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, spread coconut flakes out in one layer. Toast flakes in oven until they are just beginning to brown around the edges, about 8-10 minutes (be careful not to burn flakes).
Let coconut flakes cool slightly. In a small blender, pulse flakes until they’re finely ground. In a small bowl mix, coconut and egg whites until blended. With wet fingers, press about 1 rounded tablespoon of the coconut mixture into 2” wide muffin tin. Should make about 10 tarts.
Bake tart shells in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the shells are just beginning to turn light golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool shells for about 1 minute and then carefully remove them from the tin on a wire rack and cool completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat and heat until almost boiling. Remove cream from heat. Add the chocolate. Stir until chocolate has melted and the filling is smooth.
Pour the chocolate filling into the tart shells and place in the freezer for 10 minutes or until the filling has set.
Garnish with a coarse salt (optional). Serve with coffee or berries as a dessert.
Makes about 10 tarts.
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Oh my–I should be going to sleep, but instead I’m dreaming of coconut and chocolate tarts. These look amazing!
Your sweet little cakes looking really delcious! What a nice idea!
I saw these in a DH magazine, and was going to try them out. Yours look beautiful!
MARY: In my book, chocolate trumps sleep every time.
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ANDREA: Thanks.
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CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS: Thanks. Let us know if you give them a try.
What a great idea – looks like the perfect dessert to serve at a dinner with guests.
I now know what I am having for dinner.
i love your blog and i cant wait to try these!
These are a classic – try making the shells, and scooping some lemon curd into them once baked…..like a delectable coconut lemon tart. Yum.
I have wanted to get that book for a while now, and seeing these kills me. Bite size to do danger with.
HANA: I think you’re right. They’re nice and portable and dare I say…cute to boot. Perfect for a dinner party with coffee.
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CHRISTINE: I know what i HAD for lunch
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TIA: Thanks for the shout out. Let us know how they turn out if you try them.
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JOANNA: That does sound good. I’ve never made lemon curd before. Lately, I have been thinking of giving it a shot. Coconut, Lemon Curd Tart sounds like a good excuse.
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DAWN: Donna Hay’s books are great. Simple food showcased with beautiful photos. What’s not to love, right?
What a neat idea!! thanks for sharing!
Simple, sweet and delicious, my kind of dessert! Chocolate and coconut is a great combination. Perfect cocktail fare.
One of my fav ingredients…coconut. Great photos.
Wow these look so flavorful yet simple. I definitely plan on making these soon, and would love to top with an almond to remind me of Almond Joys!
ANH: Let us know how it turns out if you get a chance to try the recipe.
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LISA: I agree. They’re great cocktail party fare.
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BAKING IN MY ZEN: Thanks.
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NATALIE: You are so right. I didn’t think of it but basically, they’re inside out Almond Joys. Same taste.
I’m glad you didn’t abandon the tarts. They look SO good! Can’t believe how simple they are to make.
Oh my my my..these little gems look addicting!
i’m glad you stayed aboard the good ship coconut chocolate tart–the tarts are magnificent!
Just saw these over at Hip Hostess! So excited to make them for Book Club on Thursday!!!
Y: Honestly, they turned out much better than I had thought. I will definitely make them again.
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LESLIE: They are. For me it was love at first bite.
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GRACE: Thanks.
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ERIN: Good luck making these for the book club. Although, they’re so easy you won’t need much luck.
Okay, you had me at EASY and then I tripped over my tongue when I saw the delectable photos!
Instead of coarse salt for garnish, I’d add coarsely chopped almonds – somethimes you feel like a nut…
Ooooh I’m new here! Great site! These are GORGEOUS, simple and elegant. Love it!
i love that these are gluten/grain-free, not to mention beautiful and chocolatey! i just mentioned this recipe on my blog cause they look so good!
I had one of these in my favourite cafe recently and I’ve been dreaming of making them ever since but they just seemed so perfectly perfect that I didn’t believe it was possible to make them at home. You have given me hope!
I just made these tarts an hour ago, as a midnight snack. Costs: 1.29 for 7 oz coconut, 2.29 chocolate, 1.10 for 2/3 cup cream (3.19 whole pint), 0.20 egg. So total cost was $4.88. I used a 4 oz Ghiradelli bar (instead of 5 oz) with about 2 tbsp of caramel sauce. Even then, I had a whole cup of sauce left over. My tarts looked really sloppy because they didn’t stick neatly to the edges. Perhaps it needs another egg white?
I made some mods in the procedure. Instead of cooling on a wire rack, I just took them out after 6 mins and cooled them in the pan. I poured the filling directly into the tarts and froze. Consistency was perfect and my brothers loved the flavor. Presentation was sort of ugly, with the uneven edges of coconut flaking off. Next time I would make double the tart recipe so I can fill the whole 24 ct pan, and so i don’t have filling leftover. I would also use an extra egg white or some other binder so it’s easier to shape the tarts. Making the tarts was a big pan, i tried fingers, the end of a spoon, but the coconut stuck more to me than to the sides. If I could find a way of making the tarts more easily, I would definitely give these a 5 star.
SIDRA: I am sorry to hear that your tarts didn’t come together as well. After reading your email, I tried going through the variables to ID what I thought could have went wrong. I’m still not sure. Maybe you’re right and you needed more binder (egg whites) – especially since the coconut pieces were sticking more to your fingers than they were to each other (try dabbing your fingers in water as you try molding them into the tins).
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Please let me know how they turn out when you try the recipe again with an additional egg white.
i am about to make these. so excited. love the simplicity and the fact that they are gluten free. Do you have trouble getting them out of the muffin tins? how do you get them out , while preserving their cute shape? thanks so much!
REBEKAH: I don’t remember having any troubles getting them out (the coconut has enough oil to keep them from sticking). To help them hold their shape, wait a moment or two for them to cool down before removing. I just ran a butter knife around the edges and popped them out. If they start to loose their shape, pop them back into the pan for a bit. Good luck and let us know how they turn out for you.
I made them last night and they are fantastic. I blogged about them and linked back to you. Hope that is ok. http://www.thehappytummy.wordpress.com.
I did have a little trouble getting them out of the pans but it wasn’t too bad. I am thinking next time I might pop them in the freezer for a bit to solidify more and make them come out better. Thanks for the great, easy recipe. My family loved them.
REBEKAH: I’m glad it worked out for you. By the way…love your blog!
Its an even easier recipe if you fill these cups with nutella!
Everything in life is better with a little Nutella.
this looks AMAZING im soooooooooo gonna try this ^_^
Btw what camera are you using (dont forget the lens)
NATASHA: Thanks for the comment. Let us know how the dessert works for you if you give it a try. By the way, I use a a Canon 40D with a Sigma 50mm 1:2.8 lens.
I was so excited about the recipe and doubled it since I was using a larger muffin pan. I forgot the coconut in the oven a tad too long and part of it was a little too brown. Sadly the mixture was enough for 6 tarts and a couple of them broke when i tried getting them out of the pan
…. I think the coconut was too moist and I should’ve left it in the oven for longer. Oh well it still tastes great with the chocolate regardless of presentation!