Chocolate-Covered Coconut Cream Custard Tart
If this dessert recipe was trying not to stand out, its crispy chocolate-covered graham cracker crust, creamy coconut custard, and rich chocolate fudge topping certainly doesn’t help its cause. Guilty as charged, this tart is decadent and eye-catching.
But decadent doesn’t have to equate to laborious or difficult to make. My recipe only requires you to be active in the kitchen for less than 15 minutes, and the ingredient list is not as long as it seems — many of the ingredients are repeats.
It doesn’t have to equate to “bad-for-you-food,” either. There are zero artificial ingredients, processed sugars or trans fats in this bad boy. It even features some great nutrition in the form of California walnuts! (I recently returned from a press trip with them, and what can I say? I’m inspired.)
It’s also important to note that, although opting for healthier ingredients is a great choice, it doesn’t negate the importance of being mindful of the quantity of the good stuff you’re consuming. In each tart, there is less than 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, plus, it’s dairy-free.
Not bad for decadence. Not bad.
For the crust- 1 oz. (about ¼ cup) walnut pieces
- 2 sheets graham crackers, broken into large pieces
- 1 Tbs. coconut oil, in liquid form
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
For the custard- ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk (not light)
- ¼ tsp. gelatin
- 1 egg yolk
- Pinch of kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
For the fudge topping- 1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 Tbs. coconut oil, in liquid form
- 2 tsp. honey
- ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
- In a small bowl, add the gelatin to the coconut milk and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the walnuts until they resemble sand, 5-7 pulses.
- Add the graham crackers, oil, honey, cocoa, and vanilla.
- Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Using a muffin tin, fill 2 cups with liners. Divide the graham cracker mixture equally in each cup, and with your fingertips, press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the liners to fill the mold.
- Place in the refrigerator.
- Place the egg yolk in a small bowl.
- In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk mixture, honey, and salt over low heat, until small bubbles form along the edge of the pan and the mixture is fully combined, about 1.5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour it into the small bowl with the yolk while whisking. Add the vanilla extract.
- At this point, retrieve the muffin tin from the refrigerator and place it near the stove.
- Add the egg mixture back into the sauce pan, and return the heat to low.
- Constantly stir the mixture until it begins to thicken slightly, about 1.5 minutes. This is where you must be careful because if the mixture gets too hot, the egg will curdle!
- Pour the custard into the graham cracker shells so that both cups are nearly full. Place back in the refrigerator until the custard is no longer liquid, has some wiggle (like pudding), at least 30 minutes.
- When your custard is ready, make the fudge. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. Pour over each tart. The chocolate will harden in room temperature after a few minutes. Enjoy!
What’s your favorite type of chocolate-covered dessert? —Danielle Padula, GreenMitts.com