Few dishes are extra particular to the French Caribbean archipelago of Guadeloupe than the tropical fruit tart often known as tourment d’amour, or “love’s torment.” The identify refers back to the agony the native fishermen’s wives endured whereas their husbands spent lengthy, harmful days at sea. The dessert originated in Les Saintes, a bunch of the smallest islands in Guadeloupe, the place the vast majority of residents make their dwelling from the ocean. The story goes that the ladies, wracked with fear as they prayed for his or her husbands’ protected returns, channeled their nerves into cooking and baking. Bringing collectively a wealthy pâte brisée base, a brilliant tropical fruit filling (coconut is traditional however guava and pineapple are additionally widespread), and an ethereal génoise topping, the tart is each French-influenced and undeniably Caribbean.
This recipe comes from Cillette Appolinaire, a resident of Terre-de-Haut in Les Saintes, who’s been baking and promoting tourment d’amour from her house for many years. At 76 years outdated, she nonetheless makes the single-serving pastries from scratch and grates coconuts by hand for the filling. This tailored recipe makes a larger-format tart, good for a picnic, ceremonial dinner, or any time you need to bake your method to the Caribbean.
Substances
For the dough:
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all‑goal flour, plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 6 Tbsp. chilly unsalted butter, lower into small cubes
For the coconut jam:
- 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup sugar
- Kosher salt
- 1 tsp. freshly grated lime zest
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or paste (non-obligatory)
For the génoise:
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 giant eggs
- Kosher salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or paste (non-obligatory)
- ⅓ cup plus 1½ tsp. all-purpose flour
Directions
- Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the flour and salt. Scatter the butter over the floor and, utilizing your fingertips or a bench scraper, incorporate it into the flour combination till it resembles coarse meal with some bigger butter items nonetheless seen. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of ice water over the combination and, utilizing a fork or your arms, start to deliver the dough collectively. Add extra water 1 tablespoon at a time till the dough simply holds when pressed—it shouldn’t be sticky. Type the dough right into a flat disk, then wrap in plastic and chill for a minimum of half-hour.
- Make the coconut jam: To a medium pot over medium warmth, add the coconut, sugar, a pinch of salt, and ¾ cup of water. Prepare dinner, stirring repeatedly, till the combination thickens, pulls away from the perimeters of the pot, and has a shiny, jam‑like texture, 8–10 minutes. Take away the pot from the warmth. Stir within the lime zest and vanilla if desired, then put aside to chill utterly.
- Place a rack within the heart of the oven and preheat to 350°F. On a flippantly floured work floor, roll the dough right into a 12-inch spherical. Switch to a 9‑inch tart pan with a detachable backside, gently urgent into the corners. Trim any extra dough, then prick the underside throughout with a fork. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to relaxation and stop shrinking.
- Line the tart shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12 minutes, then take away the weights and paper and proceed baking till the crust is pale golden, 4–6 minutes extra. Put aside to chill barely, leaving the oven on.
- Assemble the filling: Unfold the coconut jam over the shell in a good layer, smoothing the floor with a small offset spatula or the again of a spoon.
- Make the génoise: To a big bowl, add the sugar and eggs. Utilizing a hand mixer, beat on excessive till the combination triples in dimension, turns into pale and thick, and leaves ribbons when the whisk is lifted, 8–10 minutes. Utilizing a silicone spatula, fold in a pinch of salt and the vanilla if desired. Sift a couple of third of the flour over the egg combination, then gently fold in with the spatula. Proceed sifting the remaining flour over the egg combination in two batches, folding gently after every addition till simply included.
- Pour the génoise over the coconut layer, gently spreading till it utterly covers the jam and sits evenly within the pan. (The batter shouldn’t come up too excessive or it’ll rise and create a dome impact, masking the outer tart crust.) Bake till the génoise is about and lightweight golden on high and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clear (watch out to not prod an excessive amount of or it could deflate), about 20 minutes.
- Fastidiously switch the tart to a wire rack and put aside to chill, then lower into wedges and serve.
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