Coconut Cream Crostata

Method

1. Make the pastry: in a large bowl, combine 300g flour, 20g almond flour, 3g Sichuan pepper (to taste), a pinch of salt, and 100g sugar. Add 150g cold butter cut into pieces. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Lightly beat 1 egg yolk and add it to the mixture along with up to 50ml cold water. Mix with a fork until the dough starts to come together. Do not overwork; it should be crumbly but cohesive.
3. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and flatten into a disc. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (preferably 1–2 hours or more).
4. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: in a large bowl, whisk together 6 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs, an amount of sweetened condensed milk (to taste), heavy cream (to taste), and shredded coconut (to taste) until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
5. After chilling, divide the dough for two 18 cm tart molds (or one large). Press the dough evenly into the molds, making sure the edges are covered. Prick the bottom with a fork.
6. Optionally, sprinkle a little ground cinnamon over one of the tarts.
7. Fill the tart shells with the coconut cream mixture.
8. Bake in a preheated static oven at 190°C (375°F) for 45 minutes. For the last 10 minutes, cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning, and switch to bottom heat only if possible.
9. Allow to cool completely before removing from the molds. Garnish with a few crystals of sea salt if desired.