How to Make Delicious Coconut Pancakes and a Quick & Easy Tangy Lemon Coconut Tart.

I saw this question one day on hubs and I knew I just had to answer it!

I've always loved coconut from the time when I was a kid and dad used to bring home fresh ones from the market with that tough fibrous hard shell and my brother and I would try many attempts at cracking them open even climbing onto the carport roof and dropping them from high. Then once opened we would drink some of the liquid and scoop out the nutty flesh and eat our fill.

These days of course we don't have to work so hard to get our coconut as we used to do and can buy coconut readily available for use in cooking or just to eat coming in a variety of forms such as shaved, shredded and dessicated.

Versatility

Coconut is such a versatile ingredient and coconut water containing antioxidants, fiber, proteins and vitamins has become a popular drink of choice.

Used in a variety of dishes coconut compliments and enhances many recipes like the way coconut rice enhances the flavor of Tai dishes perfectly. Then there is delicious creamy coconut gelato which goes so well with a nice crisp and fruity sorbet. And coconut added to lemon icing adds a complimentary taste to a banana cake and is delicious in muffins and muesili and cookies and in curries adding texture.

But most of all I love coconut in the following two recipes.

Coconut Pancakes

A simple recipe with a refreshing flavor these pancakes add a nice change to the traditional pancake.

1/2 cup of plain flour

1/2 cup Self Raising flour

2 eggs

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup of milk

1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar according to taste

A pinch of salt

A little water if needed

Method

Blend all together and cook as usual for pancakes.

They are delicious served with fresh mangoes, bananas, passion fruit or any summer tropical fruit and Marscapone cream with a drizzle of either coconut syrup or passion fruit syrup. Serve as dessert or for breakfast.

Lemon Coconut Tart

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup castor sugar

1 cup dessicated coconut

4 eggs beaten

125 grams butter, melted

3/4 cup of plain flour

Juice of two lemons and their zest

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Expect the mixture to be very runny but don't be concerned as it will set like a custard tart. Pour into a deep pie dish and bake for 40 to 45 minutes in a moderate oven until golden brown.

Serve with double cream, a good vanilla ice cream or lightly sweeten some creme fraiche and serve the tart warm with some toasted coconut and a drizzle of coconut syrup.

Enjoy