Double-Coconut and Pineapple Cream Tart

1. Prepare Macadamia Nut Tart Shell; set aside. Let egg yolks for filling and egg whites for Five-Egg White Meringue stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Measure ingredients and prepare equipment for Five-Egg White Meringue; set aside (see "Timing is Everything", above).

2. For filling, in a medium saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt; add milk and cream of coconut, whisking until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

3. Remove from heat. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into egg yolks, stirring constantly. Stir yolk mixture into the remaining hot milk mixture in saucepan. Return to heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted. Stir in pineapple, the 2/3 cup coconut, and the vanilla. Cover; keep warm.** Preheat oven to 325°F.

4. Quickly prepare Five-Egg White Meringue. Spoon hot filling into the Macadamia Nut Tart Shell, spreading evenly (the filling must be hot; if necessary, reheat filling over low heat before spooning it into the tart shell). Immediately spread the Five-Egg White Meringue over hot filling; use a small spatula to seal the meringue to the edge of the tart shell. Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons coconut and the macadamia nuts. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Chill for at least 3 hours or up to 48 hours before serving. If storing longer than 3 hours, insert toothpicks in meringue and cover loosely with plastic wrap. (The toothpicks hold up the plastic wrap.)

Macadamia Nut Tart Shell

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, macadamia nuts, and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until pieces are pea size. In a small bowl lightly beat egg yolk. Stir in 1 tablespoon water. Gradually stir egg yolk mixture into flour mixture. Using your fingers, gently knead mixture until it holds together. Cover pastry with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or until easy to handle. Preheat oven to 450°F. On a lightly floured surface use your hands to slightly flatten pastry. Roll pastry from center to edge into a 12-inch circle. Wrap pastry circle around a rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Ease pastry into pan without stretching it. Press pastry into fluted side of pan; repair any cracks by pressing pastry together with your fingers or patching with pastry scraps. Trim edges. Prick side and bottom with a fork. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes more or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Five-Egg White Meringue

1. In a mixing bowl combine whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed about 6 minutes or until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks (tips stand straight) and sugar dissolves (rub a small amount between two fingers; it should feel completely smooth). Immediately spread meringue over hot pie filling, sealing to edge of pastry. Bake as directed in recipe.

*Tip:

Look for cream of coconut with the drink mixers in the liquor section of supermarkets or at a liquor store.

**Tip:

Be sure to keep the filling as warm as possible, so it is hot when poured into the the tart shell and topped with the meringue. This helps prevent the meringue from weeping (forming beads of liquid on top or between the filling and meringue).