Chocolate-Macadamia & Coconut Tart

    Crust
    1 cup all purpose flour
    1 tablespoon sugar
    3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
    5 tablespoons chilled solid vegetable shortening
    3 tablespoons (about) ice water

    Filling
    1 1/2 cups unsalted macadamia nuts (about 6 ounces), halved
    1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
    1 Cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
    1/2 cup sugar
    1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
    2 tablespoons milk
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
    1 tablespoon all purpose flour
    2 large eggs
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Whipped Cream
    1 cup chilled whipping cream
    1 tablespoon powdered sugar
    1 tablespoon coconut liqueur or rum

For crust:
Combine flour and sugar in large bowl.  Add butter and shortening and cut in using pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Mix in enough water to bind dough.  Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk.  Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.  (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.  Let dough soften slightly before continuing.)

Grease 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom.  Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch-thick round.  Roll dough up on rolling pin and transfer to prepared pan.  Press into pan.  Trim and finish edges.  Refrigerate crust 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Line crust with foil or parchment and fill with dried beans or pie weights.  Bake crust 15 minutes.  Remove foil and beans and continue baking crust until golden brown, about 7 minutes.  Cool crust completely on wire rack.  Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

For filling:
Place macadamia nuts on cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.  Cool.  Place coconut on small cookie sheet in single layer.  Bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Cool completely.  Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Combine both sugars, butter, milk and salt in heavy medium saucepan.  Stir over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add chocolate and stir until smooth.  Add flour and 5 tablespoons toasted coconut.  Whisk in eggs and vanilla.  Sprinkle macadamias evenly over crust.  Carefully pour chocolate mixture over.  Bake until top forms crust and filling is set in center, about 45 minutes.  Cool on rack to room temperature. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead.  Cover loosely.)

For whipped cream:
Whip cream and sugar in large bowl to soft peaks.  Add coconut liqueur and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip.  Pipe rosettes round edge of tart.  Garnish with remaining coconut and serve.
 
 2010  Nathan Krämer  Blair, Nebraska   http://www.nathankramer.com/cookbook/