A crisp, golden pastry shell layered with homemade raspberry jam and a smooth, toasted coconut-infused crème pâtissière. Finished with a cloud of soft whipped cream, a mosaic of fresh raspberries, and a delicate brush of honey for a glossy shine and to bring out the floral sweetness of the fruit.
This is a tart filled with nostalgic flavours for me, and is a celebration of late-summer indulgence, where the vibrant, jewel-like brightness of fresh raspberries takes center stage. Their tart sweetness is paired with the tropical warmth of toasted coconut, rich vanilla, and a whisper of honey, creating a tart that feels like holding onto the warm, golden light of the season just a little longer.
I first shared images of this tart a couple of weeks ago, at which point the flavour was absolutely there, but the textures weren’t quite–a couple more rounds of testing and she is ready to be shared. The combining of the raspberry and toasted coconut was inspired by a beautiful bakery offering currently at Lannan Bakery in Edinburgh. It is an understated pair; the tropical, nutty warmth of toasted coconut lifts the sharp acidity of the raspberries into something light, fragrant, and deeply comforting.
I wanted to build a tart that felt like a study in textures—balancing the snap of a well-baked pastry with the velvety yield of a rich custard. In general I tend to refrain from the use of extracts in baking, feeling that the flavour it provides is often quite artificial and overpowering, which is why the coconut flavour comes only from the fruit itself. The milk for the crème pâtissière is infused with heavily toasted coconut to impart a subtle, lingering warmth that rounds out the sweetness of the homemade raspberry jam hiding beneath it. Left to set overnight, the flavors melt into one another, creating a rich foundation that is balanced by the lightness of fresh whipped cream and the ripe, plump berries on top. A final glaze of honey adds just enough natural shine and floral sweetness to bring every element into perfect, vibrant harmony.
Notes: elements that can be made ahead for this recipe are the pastry and the jam–both can be made up to 3 days in advance. The tart case, once baked, can be made up to 2 days in advance of filling, stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The tart needs overnight chilling once filled with the jam and crème patissiere, and then I recommend finishing with the cream and fresh raspberries no more than 2 hours before serving.
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