pies, tarts & cobblerseuropeanbaking
Coconut Tartlets with White Chocolate Custard
Crisp coconut tartlet shells filled with smooth homemade custard enriched with melted white chocolate.
From YouTube · Feb 2, 2026
Crisp coconut tartlet shells filled with smooth homemade custard enriched with melted white chocolate.
20 min
Prep time
20 min
Cook time
1 hr 10 min
Total time
6 coconut tartlets
Yield
Ingredients
8 ingredients- 160 g unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 2 large eggs
- 20 g granulated sugar (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 270 ml whole milk
- 1 large egg yolk
- 30 g granulated sugar (2 tablespoons)
- 15 g cornstarch (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 80 g white chocolate, finely chopped
Method
17 steps- Preheat the oven to 170°C conventional or 150°C fan. Lightly grease 6 wells of a standard muffin tin.
- Place the desiccated coconut, 2 whole eggs and 20 g sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Mix thoroughly until all the coconut is moistened and the mixture holds together when pressed.
- Divide the coconut mixture evenly between the 6 prepared muffin wells.
- Using the back of a teaspoon or clean fingers, press the mixture firmly over the base and up the sides of each well to form tartlet shells of even thickness.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges and bases are golden brown.
- Allow the shells to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then loosen them carefully with a thin palette knife and transfer them to a cooling rack.
- To make the custard, heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling.
- In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolk with 30 g sugar and the cornstarch until smooth and free from lumps.
- While whisking continuously, gradually pour approximately one-third of the hot milk into the egg-yolk mixture.
- Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan containing the remaining milk.
- Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and begins to bubble gently.
- Continue cooking and whisking for 1 minute so the cornstarch is fully cooked.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the chopped white chocolate and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Cover the surface of the custard directly with reusable food wrap or baking parchment and allow it to cool for approximately 20 minutes.
- Divide the warm but no longer hot custard between the cooled coconut shells.
- Refrigerate the filled tartlets for at least 30 minutes, until the custard is set, before serving.
Recipe notes
Helpful tips
- Use unsweetened desiccated coconut so the tartlet shells are not excessively sweet.
- Press the coconut mixture firmly and evenly into the tin so the shells hold together after baking.
- Watch the tartlet edges during the final few minutes because coconut can brown quickly.
- Add the hot milk gradually to the egg yolk while whisking to prevent it from scrambling.
- Whisk the custard continuously, particularly around the edges of the saucepan.
- Allow the shells and custard to cool before filling so the coconut remains as crisp as possible.
Equipment
- Standard 6-hole muffin tin
- Mixing bowls
- Small saucepan
- Balloon whisk
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Teaspoon
- Thin palette knife
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Measuring jug
Storage
For the crispest texture, store the baked shells and custard separately and fill them shortly before serving. Do not leave the custard-filled tartlets at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Additional tips
- Contains eggs, milk and coconut. White chocolate may contain soya. Cook the custard until it bubbles gently and continue whisking for 1 minute to ensure the egg yolk and cornstarch are properly cooked.
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