Victor Protasio
Refreshing and bright, with the tropical flair of pineapple and coconut, these little tarts are a fun departure from typical desserts. Even better, most of the elements can be prepared a day ahead, then assembled just before serving.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 325°. Put coconut and butter in a medium bowl and stir until coconut is moist. Divide mixture evenly among tart pans and press into bottoms and up sides to form a thin shell. Put tart pans on a baking sheet and bake until shells are golden brown, rotating sheet halfway through, about 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then gently remove shells from tart pans and cool fully on a cooling rack.
Step 2
In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine diced pineapple, pineapple juice, and star anise. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pineapple is tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pineapple to a bowl and refrigerate, uncovered, until cool, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, increase heat to high and boil remaining liquid until thick and syrupy and reduced to 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes. Remove star anise and discard; refrigerate syrup, uncovered, until cooled to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Step 3
In a medium bowl, stir mascarpone and pineapple syrup together. In a separate bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Stir half the cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in remaining cream.
Step 4
Divide cream filling evenly among tart shells, smoothing it with the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula. Spoon diced pineapple over cream filling, dividing evenly. Sprinkle the top of each tart with a pinch of crushed pink peppercorn. Serve immediately.
Step 5
Note: Nutritional analysis is per tartlet.
Chef's Notes
You'll need six 4 1/2-in. fluted tart pans. You can poach the diced pineapple up to a day ahead, then chill it overnight and bring it to room temperature before serving. The tart shells can also be made up to a day ahead; once they're cool, store them in a tight-sealing container so they stay crisp. Wait to whip the cream and assemble the tarts until shortly before serving. Pink peppercorns may seem like an unusual ingredient for a dessert, but their gentle spice highlights the tangy sweetness of the pineapple, and they add a dash of color.
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