Macaroon Peach Jam Tarts

Found this recipe on a page ripped out from a magazine. I love the taste of coconut combined with almond flavoring and peach jam. You can use any jam of your choice, raspberry would be another good choice. You will want to use a firm jam, not too soft. The peach jam I used was a bit too soft, I would have liked more of the jam to show in the tart.

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, I like using angel flake
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 15 - 3" tart shells, placed on a baking sheet.
• Peach jam, 1 teaspoon per shell

1. Whisk together eggs, water, sugar, almond extract, coconut, and baking powder.
2. Scoop 1 teaspoon of jam into each tart shell.
3. Spoon coconut mixture over jam in each tart.
4. Bake in a 425º oven for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 350º and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown. They will puff up as they bake, then deflate a little as they cool.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
6. These tarts are a nice treat to enjoy warm or you can freeze them for another occasion.

Pineapple Coconut Pie

Can you go wrong with pineapple and coconut in a pie, I think not. Drizzle a bit of glaze on top or serve warm with ice cream and you have a delicious dessert to serve your guests.

• Pastry for a 9" double crust pie
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 can (540 ml/19 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained (reserve 1 tablespoon juice for glaze)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

1. Prepare your favorite pie crust, enough for a 9" double crust pie. Roll out dough to fit a 9" pan and sprinkle with coconut.
2. Drain crushed pineapple, reserving 1 tablespoon for glaze.
3. Whisk together sugar, flour, salt, lemon juice, melted butter, and drained, crushed pineapple and pour over coconut layer.
4. Roll out pastry for top crust and place over filling.
5. Trim and crimp edges. Cut slits in pastry.
6. Bake in a 400º oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden in color.

For glaze combine:

• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
• 1/2 teaspoon rum extract (or vanilla)

1. Drizzle over warm pie. Serve warm or cold.

Since I had made a larger recipe of pie dough than I needed, I used the rest of the dough to make tart shells. I love the simple way of draping the dough over an upside down muffin tin before baking. How easy is that?

Apple Tart

Our son has apples trees on his property and he prepared apples by coring, peeling, and slicing them then preserving them with his Food Saver and freezing them. I decided to use his apples for our Apple Tart that we enjoyed on Christmas day. Today just happens to be this son's birthday.

Crust:
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup quick oatmeal
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed lightly
3/4 cup unsalted butter-cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk

6-7 fresh apples
juice from half a lemon
2 tablespoons sugar

Cut the apples lengthwise into quarters, core the apple, and slice into smaller sections, about 8 slices per apple.You'll need 6-7 apples for this recipe. After the apples are sliced put them into a bowl and add the lemon juice and sugar and toss lightly. This will allow them to juice slightly.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flour, oatmeal, walnuts, and sugar, butter and egg yolk in bowl. Mix ingredients until they are a crumb size. You can use a mixer.

Pour the mixture into a 10 inch tart pan and press to an even layer coming up the sides of the pan, also.

Arrange the apple slices starting on the outside edge going around in a circle and then start the center circle with the remaining apple slices. Save the apple juice left in the bowl to brush the apples when the tart is fully cooked and out of the oven. This will add a nice sheen to the tart. If you don't have enough juice for this step add a little water and sugar to the apple juice you have and cook it on the stove top till it thickens slightly.

Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes or until it's lightly browned. Remove from oven, cool slightly and enjoy warm or after it has cooled completely. It would be nice with a dollop of whip cream or a la mode.

Note: I reserved a tablespoon of the crumb crust to add on top of the apples in the center of the pan before baking the tart. That is an optional step.

 I also had extra crumb crust and apples so I made a small crumble, too.

Pear Tart

We have a pear tree and it seems all the pears like to ripen in the same week. I've been trying to come up with pear recipes and this one was deemed a keeper by my family.

Crust:
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup quick oatmeal
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed lightly
3/4 cup unsalted butter-cut into small cubes
1 egg yolk

6-7 fresh pears
juice from half a lemon
2 tablespoons sugar

Cut the pears lengthwise into quarters, core the pear, and slice into smaller sections, about 8 slices per pear.You'll need 6-7 pears for this recipe. After the pears are sliced put them into a bowl and add the lemon juice and sugar and toss lightly. This will allow them to juice slightly.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flour, oatmeal, walnuts, and sugar, butter and egg yolk in bowl. Mix ingredients until they are a crumb size. You can use a mixer.

Pour the mixture into a 10 inch tart pan and press to an even layer coming up the sides of the pan, also.

Arrange the pear slices starting on the outside edge going around in a circle and then start the center circle with the remaining pear slices. Save the pear juice left in the bowl to brush the pears when the tart is fully cooked and out of the oven. This will add a nice sheen to the tart. If you don't have enough juice for this step add a little water and sugar to the pear juice you have and cook it on the stove top till it thickens slightly.

Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes or until it's lightly browned. Remove from oven, cool slightly and enjoy warm or after it has cooled completely. It would be nice with a dollop of whip cream or a la mode.

Note: I reserved a tablespoon of the crumb crust to add on top of the pears in the center of the pan before baking the tart. That is an optional step.