Pineapple Cookie Tart

Last week, I shared a very easy and tasty recipe for pineapple preserves that I made from an excess of fresh pineapple I had sitting in my refrigerator. While it’s perfectly delicious to eat all on its own, or spread on toast, biscuits or scones, I did want to see what else I could do with it.

A few years ago during the 12 Days of Christmas, I shared what’s become one of my (and my family’s) favorite desserts: a cranberry shortbread cookie tart that I now make annually for the holidays. It was so easy, and also so customizable that I ended making two more variations on that recipe: a second one for the holidays that’s gingerbread flavored, and a strawberry flavored one. Today’s recipe is another variation for summer: pineapple & coconut.

Pineapple and coconut are one of those combinations that just remind you of summertime, which is perfect for this time of year when it’s boiling outside and you want something that tastes fresh and tart to take the edge off the heat.

I used to think I wasn’t a fan of coconut, but I think it’s because of the texture of the white sweet and shredded coconut that’s typically found in most desserts. It always made me feel like I was chewing wet paper, and I’ve just never found it pleasant. However, as it turns out, the texture and the flavor are easy to fix/improve, simply by toasting the coconut in the oven. It not only changes the wet and mushy texture of the shredded coconut, it gives it a warm and nutty flavor that just can’t be replicated any other way. If you need some directions as to toast coconut, look no further than here.

The toasted coconut in this recipe gets folded into the shortbread cookie crust, giving it an added warm and nutty/toasted flavor that pairs perfectly with the pineapple preserves that are spread on top and mixed in with freshly diced pineapple to give added texture.

You guys, this tastes like pure summer. It’s an easy and delicious dessert that comes together very quickly and is perfect to make or share at a picnic or barbecue.

Stay cool!

Pineapple Cookie Tart

Recipe Adapted from a Previous recipe on Cooking is My Sport and Eren’s Kitchen

Ingredients

1 cup butter at room temperature
½ cup sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup of toasted coconut flakes (it really does matter that they’re toasted; here are some directions if needed)
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup of pineapple preserves (if you need a pineapple preserves recipe, this is the one I used.)
1 cup fresh diced pineapple (Note: if using canned pineapples, drain before using.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F/160C. Grease a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan* and place this on a baking tray.

Using a hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachments to beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and brown sugar vigorously until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt and coconut flakes. Add it to the butter mixture and mix until blended (forming large clumps). Turn onto a floured surface and using floured hands, press two-thirds of the mixture evenly into the prepared pan (including the sides).

Spread with the pineapple preserves evenly over the dough, leaving a 1⁄4-inch border and then scatter with the diced pineapple.

Crumble the remaining dough into large crumbs and scatter evenly over the filling, covering most of the surface.Bake the tart for 40 – 45 minutes, until lightly browned.

Leave to cool completely in the pan.

*If you do not have a tart pan, I do think that this would also work in a 9-inch round cake pan, you just won’t be able to lift the whole tart out of it. It’ll still taste great though.