Hawaiian Cookie Tarts

Yesterday while I was browsing the blogs I love I came across a recipe I wanted to try for Hawaiian Cookie Tarts here on Living the Gourmet and also on her daughter's site here at Il Dolce Bacio.  Both are wonderful sites and I would suggest you check them out.  While I was on Il Dolce Bacio I noticed that the original recipe came from a Pillsbury booklet, so I dug out the ones I have kept from the last 15 or so years and couldn't believe my eyes when I found the original recipe in the 1997 Bake-Off Cookies, Brownies, & Bars booklet.  I decided to adapt from the original only because I don't like to use apple sauce in the place of butter in my recipes because lets face it, butter is butter and why would I want to use anything less than the real stuff in a sinfully yummy treat; might as well just not eat them.  And eat them I did!  Current count is three!

Here's what you need:

Tart shells:
1-3/4 cups flour, unbleached all-purpose
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbl. cornstarch
1 cup butter, unsalted at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla

Filling
1 cup Apricot-Pineapple jam, only because I could not find straight Pineapple preserves, if you can, use them.
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1-1/2 cups coconut
1/2 cup Macadamia nuts, chopped (this amount is an approximate,  I just chopped as I went)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix the flour with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and cornstarch. Add the butter and vanilla.

    

With a spoon, stir until it forms a soft dough.  

     

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place one in each ungreased mini muffin tin.

     

Ok, here's me again harping on Pampered Chef gadgets, but really, who wants to form all those tiny little tarts with their fingers when all you need is a PC tart shaper for like $6.00 or so.  Anyway.....

First you dip the tart shaper or your fingers, whichever you prefer, in flour and if using the shaper just press and give it a little twist at the same time.  If using your fingers, press down and up the sides of each mini cup.

      

Spoon 1 tsp. of the apricot/pineapple jam (or Pineapple preserves in your neck of the woods if you can find any) into each dough lined cup.  

      

Sprinkle a few Macadamia pieces over the jam.

       

 In a small bowl, combine the sugar and egg; beat with a fork until well blended.  Stir in the coconut until well coated with the egg mixture.  

Spoon 1 tsp. of the coconut mixture over the nuts in each cup.  Bake for 25 - 28 minutes or until the cookie crusts are a light golden brown.

To release cookies from cups, hold muffin pan upside down at an angle over a wire rack.  Using the handle of a butter knife, firmly tap the bottom of each cup until the cookie releases.  (Now notice how I don't have any pictures of this?  I figured I might beat the hell out of my pretty tart pans if they didn't release so I just did it the old fashioned way and using the tip of a knife I inserted it between the tart shell and the side of the cup and jiggled and prayed.  Now you can imagine how many oops I got to eat.  Well I had to do something with them because I couldn't very well serve them to my family if they weren't perfect!)  Sorry, back to the directions....

Cool Completely.  Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Now for the Amazing pictures of all the Hawaiian yumminess that came out of the oven today.......

   

         

Oh Dear Lord I think they're calling me again.  Toodles, gotta run......

Serves - 3 dozen

Enjoy!

~Hugs~

Michelle

Here's the handy printable - Hawaiian Cookie Tarts
adapted from Pillsbury