Little Lime and Coconut Tarts

The recipe for these little tarts was given to me by Tracey Barton and Alison Dobson-Bonney, from The Brown Bag Lunch Company. This they ran from Bella Pacific, a unique little gift shop that doubled as a café along Jervois Road in Herne Bay.
 

The store was a riot of colours from floor to ceiling. A string of delicately cut paper Mexican fiesta flags fluttered high above the counter. On the walls hand painted ukuleles hung alongside little Mexican Milagros (or miracles) traditionally used by people to petition saints
 

The appliquéd bedspread and cushions, made in Hawaii, looked very inviting on the queen-sized bed which took pride of place in the middle of the shop.
 

The shelves were laden with quirky cat stops by Lyn Dunfit, Poppie and Oscar handbags, little stacking dolls, painted bird brooches, natural cosmetics and handcrafted jewelry.
 

 

Alas, Bella Pacific closed down some time ago, but I still treasure the recipe which follows.Great for morning tea with a cup of coffee or as a dessert treat.
 

 

Bella Pacific Lime Tart

 

Ingredients

Base

 

200g unsalted butter, softened

250g (2cups) plain all purpose flour

30g (1/4cup) icing sugar

1 egg lightly beaten

 

Filling

6 eggs

375g (11/2cups) caster sugar

60g (1/2cup) plain flour

125ml (1/2cup) lime juice

Finely grated zest from 4 limes

1/2cup of toasted coconut threads for sprinkling on top

 

Method

Grease and line the base and sides of a 25cm tart dish with baking paper and set on a baking tray.

To make the base, mix the butter, flour, icing sugar and egg together in a food processor until a dough forms. Press the dough into the tart tin.

 

Refrigerate the dough in the tin for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 then bake the base for 20 to 25 minutes, until pale golden.

 

While the base is cooking, make the filling. Whisk the eggs in a bowl, then add the sugar, flour, lime juice and zest and whisk until combined.

 

Pour the filling onto the cooked base and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the filling is set and lightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. Remove tart from tart tin.

Decorate with toasted coconut threads. Cut into 12 pieces.

Or can be made in small tart tins.