Thank you for the support for my new cookbook, Low FODMAP Menus for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I am glad it is finally out there for you all to buy and use.
Today, I am going to continue on the vein of the oldies, but goodies classics. Neenish tarts are the same as the chocolate caramel bars I made last week – a staple item in most cafes and lunch bars here in New Zealand. They are smaller than the caramel bars so a good choice when you want a wee hit of sweetness with your cup of tea. The real neenish tarts are a bit different from mine but I am allowing myself a bit of creative license here to make a gluten-free, low FODMAP version.
My freelancing is going well with lots of photography for other bloggers, lots of converting ebooks to Kindle and Createspace print versions and lots of behind the scenes blog work for bloggers. Life is good.
I had a big birthday this week and went out with extended family to the best degustation restaurant in Auckland, Meredith’s Restaurant. We chose the 6-course menu though you could have 8 or 9 as well. And I am glad I did because I was just pleasantly full afterwards. The dishes were explosively amazing with flavour bursts to tickle your toes. We deconstructed them and ate a little of each component before combining them for a mouthful. And what mouthfuls they were. I can’t even begin to describe the courses because each one had about 8 components to them. I didn’t take my camera on purpose so I could dedicate myself to the pleasures of the palate. I was a little rash though and allowed the sauces flavoured with garlic and onion to slide on down my throat and so suffered afterwards but it was well worth it and I made that decision knowing what would happen.
- Use pastry HERE
- 400ml/13.5oz full cream coconut milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 3 tsp maple syrup
- pinch of turmeric
- 3 tsp gelatine
- ½ cup coconut cream
- 150g /5oz dark chocolate
- Preheat oven to 350°F or180°C.
- Follow the recipe but press the pastry out into 6 x 7.5cm/19” diameter tart dishes to form pastry shells.
- Bake 10 minutes then cool completely.
- In a double boiler, heat the coconut milk, reserving a few spoonfuls for dissolving the gelatine.
- When it is hot but not boiling, add the vanilla, turmeric and maple syrup and stir until dissolved.
- Remove from the heat.
- Beat the egg yolks in a bowl.
- A tbsp at a time, add the hot coconut milk to the eggs, all the while whisking.
- When it has all been added, pour back into the top of the double boiler and heat gently on the stove, continuing to whisk until it thickens. This takes a long time so be patient.
- Add the gelatine to the reserved coconut milk and heat gently to dissolve it.
- When the custard is ready, add the gelatine mixture which will finish the thickening when it is refrigerated.
- Cool down almost completely before pouring into the pastry shells.
- Place in the refrigerator to set.
- Heat the coconut cream gently in a saucepan.
- Break up the chocolate into smallish pieces and place in a heatproof basin.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it stand for a while.
- Stir vigorously to a smooth paste.
- Gently spread the chocolate ganache over the set custard.
- Place in the fridge to set.
Glad you had a great birthday! Sounds like a wonderful meal. And these tarts sound wonderful, too. Love the photos! Good stuff — thanks.
Thanks, John. It was a pretty special meal.
Neenish Tarts are my favourite. I won one once in a competition. It was about road safety and the competition was held in a department store while mothers went shopping. Because I answered how to cross a road safely, I won a neenish tart. And I was grateful! Happy birthday – I have one of those birthdays looming and I’m trying to slow down time until that day. But…as I say to those younger than me…you have to be grateful for getting older as many are not given that privilege! xx
If I want something small, I always go for a neenish tart. Congratulations of the win. LOL.
I tried to slow down time but it overtook me and I am there at that age I didn’t want to be. I am grateful but I want a bit longer too.
Am I missing something….what is the recipe for the pastry? The word “here” is colored but not active to click onto….Recipe looks good, but I need the rest of it… 🙂
Sorry about that, Stevie. I have re-linked it. In case it fails again, you can find the pastry here: https://www.strandsofmylife.com/strawberry-sour-cream-tart-gluten-free-low-fodmap/
Happy Birthday! I’d love to have one of these tarts with a cup of tea right now. The chocolate topping looks perfect!
Thanks, Lisa, though this is a birthday I would prefer to forget. I’m going backwards in age from now on.
Beautiful little tarts! Love the vanilla flavor and love that you’re using turmeric as a natural “color agent” in this recipe! Happy Birthday!
I thought of the turmeric at the last minute to make the custard more yellow. I would never use artificial colours – they are too dangerous, especially for children.
Beautiful tarts, I love the contrasting topping!
Thanks, Laura. They are a very pretty little tart.
Happy Birthday, Suzanne! Your birthday dinner sounds very intriguing. I’m really glad you enjoyed it without work. Speaking of work, congratulations!
I love your neenish tarts – not too tough to make and gorgeous in your photos.
Thanks, Maureen. I actually have head space these days for new projects and I have one in the works.
Neenish tarts are a special treat because they look so good.
Such gorgeous tarts. Suzanne! And belated birthday wishes to you…it sounds like you made the best of your day 🙂
Thank you, Liz. I did have a good day despite myself.
Thanks for the link to the recipe for the pastry…but I am not in New Zealand and I do not understand the measurements. (133 grams/4.7 oz) That does not compute with me. 🙂
4.7 ounces or 133 grams are international measurements – not just for New Zealand.
Can you help me translate? I notice the recipe for the custard is not in international measurements.
Yes, those are international measurements. Translate into what language?
I love indulging on birthdays. Your dinner sounds amazing. Hope you had a fabulous birthday.
Love these tarts. Pretty, healthy and attack free. It’s a good thing.
Hi Kim, good to hear from you. I did have a good birthday despite my trying to forget about it.
I clicked on HERE for the pastry and it did bring me to another recipe for a different tart(sour cream), but the written recipe was missing. Where else would the pastry recipe be? Thanks!
There was a link to it. Here it is: https://www.strandsofmylife.com/blueberry-sour-cream-tart-gluten-free-low-fodmap/ Enjoy the recipe.