Rosewater Rice and Chocolate Coconut Tarts

I've pinched the idea of this tart case from a Donna Hay recipe. Essentially she uses a simple coconut macaroon recipe to make tart cases by shaping them in muffin tins. It might not be as adaptable as a conventional pastry tart case but with the right filling it makes a great alternative. For the filling, I've added rosewater to rice, which is a combination that seems to turn up everywhere from Greece to India and most places between. Finally, all that sweetness needs some dark chocolate on the top to balance it – or maybe I was just thinking about Bounty bars.

This should make 8 – 10 tarts, depending on exactly how big your muffin tin might be.


For the tart cases:
        170 g desiccated coconut
        120 g caster sugar
        2 egg whites

For the rice filling:
        100 g short grain rice
        400 ml full-fat milk
        90 g caster sugar
        1 tbsp rosewater

For the topping:
        100 g dark chocolate

To make the coconut tart cases, preheat the oven to 170°C and simply mix the three ingredients together thoroughly. (It may seem at first as if they'll never come together but I promise they will). If you have a silicone muffin mould, then use it but, if not, carefully and thoroughly grease a muffin tin. Press the mixture into the muffin mould with damp fingers and shape it as evenly as possible across the base and up the sides.

Bake for around 10 –12 minutes until the shells look golden on the edges. Leave them to cool in the mould for a few minutes before carefully removing and putting on a rack to cool completely.

To make the rice filling, put the milk and rice into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring every so often, until the rice is tender. This is likely to take 20 – 30 minutes. (A little texture in the rice is good, but too much isn’t so nice). Add the sugar and stir until it’s dissolved and the rice mixture has a nice creamy consistency. Take off the heat and stir in the rosewater. Set aside to cool, stirring every so often. Once cold, fill the coconut tart cases. (You may have a little rice left over as a cook’s treat– it’s good with raspberries or fine just on its own).

For the topping, simply melt the chocolate in your favourite way and spread it evenly over the tarts. If a little drips down the side, then that’s just life.

Serve the tarts cold but preferably not too chilled.

For this month's We Should Cocoa challenge Choclette of Chocolate Log Blog has challenged us to use both rose and chocolate.