Toasted Coconut Cream Torte with Cherry Ice Cream

Serves: 8


5 tablespoons butter, diced
1-1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 each small eggs, at room tem­perature
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups sifted flour
1 cup coconut milk


Coconut Cream Filling:

1 cup coconut milk
2 cups heavy cream
3 each egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons ground unsweetened coconut
1 cup sweetened flaked or shredded coconut


For the Torte:

 Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Preheat over to 300 degrees.

Cream the butter and powdered sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating several minutes after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl frequently.

 Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Gently fold into the butter and egg mixture. Add coconut milk, 1/3 cup at a time, and fold in until completely blended.

 Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake for approxi­mately 30 minutes. Let cool.

For the Coconut Cream Fillin

In a pan over medium heat, scald the coconut milk with 1 cup of the cream. In a separate bowl, whip the egg yolks together with the sugar and the cornstarch. Whisk a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the whipped egg yolk mixture to settle it. Then whisk in remaining cream mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat and sim­mer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. Add the ground unsweetened coconut. Let cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

In a large bowl, whip the remaining cream until peaks form. Remove the chilled coconut cream mixture from the refrigerator and whip until smooth. Gently fold the coconut cream mixture into the whipped cream.

Toast the sweetened coconut on a sheet pan in a 300 degree oven until light brown, stirring occasionally. Let cool.

To Finish and Serve:

 Cut the cooled torte into 3 layers. Spread 1/3 of the fill­ing in between each layer, and use the last 1/3 to frost the entire torte. Gently pat the toasted coconut onto the sides and top of the torte. Serve with cherry ice cream.