Coconut custard tart with roasted pineapple

• plain flour↗300g g

  plus a little for dusting

• cold butter↗150g g

  cut into small pieces

• sugar↗75g g
• egg yolks↗2

  plus 1 beaten egg

• heavy cream400ml ml
• coconut cream2 x 160ml cans
• eggs↗3

  plus 2 yolks

• sugar↗75g g
• fresh nutmeg↗

  finely grated

• small pineapple1
• soft light-brown sugar↗4 tbsp tbsp
• rum↗2 tbsp tbsp

  (or lime juice if serving children)

• fresh nutmeg↗

  finely grated

• toasted coconut flakes↗small handful toasted

  optional

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Rub the flour and butter together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the sugar, egg yolks and 1–2 tbsp cold water, then mix until the dough begins to form clumps. Turn onto a work surface and knead a few times until the crumbs are incorporated. Shape into a disc, wrap in film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C/160 °C with fan/gas 4 and place a tray on the middle shelf to warm. Roll out the dough on a flour‑dusted surface to line a 23 cm round tart tin. Transfer it to a rolling pin and lift into the tin, leaving a rim about 1 cm high. Press against the edges without gaps. Reserve any leftover dough.

3. 3

   Line the tart tin with parchment and sprinkle with ceramic beans or rice. Bake for 20–25 minutes, then remove the beans and parchment. Check for holes and fill them with the leftover dough. Return to the oven for another 5–10 minutes to achieve a nut‑brown colour. Brush with beaten egg and bake another 2 minutes. While still warm, use a serrated knife to trim the dough level to the tin. Let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 140 °C/120 °C with fan/gas 1.

4. 4

   Place the cream and coconut cream in a saucepan and heat until steam appears. Meanwhile, whisk the whole eggs, yolks and sugar until pale. Pour the hot cream mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly until the sugar dissolves. Strain through a sieve into a jug.

5. 5

   Place the tart tin on a tray in the oven, pulling the shelf out. Pour the custard filling, using as much as possible. Generously sprinkle ground nutmeg on top and bake 50–55 minutes, until the custard sets but remains slightly wobbly when gently shaken. Let cool. Chill for at least two hours or up to two days.

6. 6

   When ready to prepare the pineapple, preheat the oven to 240 °C/220 °C with fan/gas 8. Peel it with a knife, removing the skin, then cut into four quarters and discard the core. Slice lengthwise into long strips. Arrange them on a parchment‑lined tray. Mix sugar, rum (or lime juice) and grated nutmeg, then brush this mixture onto the pineapple. Bake 10 minutes until caramelised. Serve warm with the cold tart. We served our version topped with toasted coconut flakes.