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Coconut Tart

Also known as Coconut Tart (Nigerian Pastry Shop Style)

Nigerian Coconut Tart is one of the most beloved offerings of the Nigerian pastry shop tradition — a small, individual shortcrust pastry shell filled with a sweet, chewy, fragrant coconut filling and baked until golden. The filling is made from desiccated coconut, sugar, eggs and evaporated milk, creating a dense, sweet, coconut-forward centre that contrasts beautifully with the crispy, buttery pastry shell.

Coconut Tart, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big cups of plain flour
  • A big cooking spoon of butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 big tablespoon of sugar
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 big egg
  • Cold water — as needed FOR THE COCONUT FILLING:
  • 3 big cups of desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
  • 1 big cup of sugar
  • 2 big eggs, beaten
  • Half a tin of evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Method

  1. 01

    Making the Pastry Shells. Sift flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. Add softened butter and rub in until crumb-like. Add beaten egg and enough cold water to bring the dough together. Rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Roll out thinly. Cut into circles using a round cutter and press into greased tartlet tins or a muffin tray, pressing the pastry firmly up the sides.

  2. 02

    Making the Coconut Filling. In a large bowl, combine desiccated coconut, sugar, beaten eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla extract and nutmeg. Mix very thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly combined and the coconut is fully moistened. The filling should be thick and hold its shape.

  3. 03

    Filling and Baking. Spoon the coconut filling generously into each pastry shell, filling to just below the rim. The coconut filling will puff slightly as it bakes. Bake in a preheated oven at moderate-to-hot heat for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry shells are golden and the coconut filling is set and lightly browned on top.

  4. 04

    Cooling. Allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before carefully unmoulding. Allow to cool completely before serving — the coconut filling is very hot directly from the oven.

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