Hope you saved room for Thanksgiving dessert.  Today I have an ooey, gooey pecan, coconut, and almond tart.

Am not much of a baker.  And, if there’s anything I hate more, it’s making pastry.  Hands down, hate it.  But on special occasions, I get out the rolling pin and tart pans.

The problem with pastry is that there is a fine balance to getting it just right.

All your pastry ingredients need to be well-chilled…

The crust shrinks (that is, if the dough is not chilled enough after rolling)…

You need the right flour, the right fat, the right amount of liquid…

Too little moisture and the dough is a pain in the butt to work with, it cracks and falls apart, and is a big ol’ headache…

Too much moisture and you loose that flakiness that makes pastry so great….

You don’t want to work the dough too much or else the crust will not be tender…

I’m still working out many of these kinks.  As with anything else it just takes time, practice, and patience to get it just right.

In the meantime, this tart — with its filling of toasted pecans, almonds, coconut, honey, sugar, and butter — tastes damn good.  Caramely, nutty, and gooey goodness.  It definitely deserves a spot on the Thanksgiving table.

Happy Turkey (or in my household, Duck) Day!

First, you’ll need to blind bake the pastry…

What can I say, other than pure yumminess…

This recipe comes from the Dublin Cookery School (with a few minor adjustments here and there, mostly due to what I had on hand).

Oh yeah, you can’t go wrong with a dollop of fresh, hand-whipped cream on top…

Pecan, Coconut, & Almond Tart

Adapted slightly from the Dublin Cookery School
makes one 8-inch to 9-inch tart

Pastry

6 ounces all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sifted icing sugar
pinch of salt
3 1/2 ounces chilled unsalted butter, cubed
1 egg yolk (optional)
Ice cold water
A little beaten egg for brushing the pastry

Place the flour, icing sugar, salt, and butter into a food processor, and pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs (alternatively, you can do this by hand with a pastry blender).  With the motor running, add the egg yolk and just enough ice cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.  Wrap in plastic and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes or in the freezer, 10-15 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry slightly larger than your tart pan.  Roll the dough around a lightly floured rolling pin and carefully transfer the dough to your tart pan. Gently push the dough around the sides of the pan, trimming any excess dough.  Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes (to prevent shrinkage during baking).

Blind bake the tart crust.
Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line the tart with parchment paper.  Fill with beans to weigh down.  Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes until lightly golden brown around the edges.

Carefully remove the parchment paper and beans (save the beans for your next pie/tart).  Brush the base and sides of the tart with a little beaten egg, and place back in the oven a few more minutes. Remove and set aside until ready to use.

Pecan, Coconut, Almond Filling

1/2 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
1 cup whole pecans
1/2 cup flaked/sliced almonds
3 ounces unsalted butter
3 ounces brown (or coconut) sugar
3 tablespoons honey (used buckwheat honey)
3 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove and set aside.  Turn up the oven to 350F.  Spread the pecans and almonds on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.

Turn the oven up to 375F.

In a sauce pan, add the butter, sugar, and honey.  Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, a few minutes.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, vanilla, and egg yolks.
Add the toasted coconut and nuts to the sauce pan and stir to combine.  Pour the mixture into the tart shell and spread evenly.  Bake until the top is set and golden, about 20 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.