It’s the dead of winter, and it’s cold. Wouldn’t we all like just a little bit of the tropics right about now?

You know you would.

Unless you’re my kiddo, who absolutely turned his nose up at this one.

Silly boy.

Banana, Pineapple and Coconut make this tart truly tropical

Tropical Tart

Coconut Crust

3 cups flaked, unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup coconut or white sugar
1 egg or 1 flax egg (1 T. flax + 3 T hot water)
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt
1 packed cup almond flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, process the coconut until liquid. (You’re making coconut butter. Yum!)
When it’s liquid, add the rest of the ingredients and pulse to combine. Press mixture into a 9 inch spring form pan. Press some of the dough up the sides to form a shell. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until edges are browned. Cool.

Banana Pineapple Filling

3 bananas, sliced
1 cup pineapple juice, reduced to 1/2 cup (simmer over low heat)
1 T. coconut oil
1 T. cold pineapple juice + 2 t. arrowroot starch

In a saute pan, melt the coconut oil. Add the bananas. Saute for a few minutes until bananas begin to soften, but aren’t mush. Add the reduced pineapple juice. When the juice is warm, drizzle in the slurry of cold juice and arrowroot starch, stirring constantly to coat the bananas. Cook for a minute until thickened. Pour mixture in cooled shell. Chill.

Coconut Topping

Just before serving, toast 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut until nicely brown. Sprinkle on top and serve.