Jamaican Plantain Tarts
Half-moon pastries filled with spiced mashed ripe plantain, crimped and baked until the crust flakes. The plantains must be black-ripe or the filling will be starchy rather than sweet.
- Prep45 min
- Cook30 min
- Total2 h
- Serves10
AI-generated illustration
Contains:dairyegggluten
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the 16 tablespoons cold butter into the flour, granulated sugar, and salt until the largest pieces are the size of peas, then add the ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough just holds together. Divide in two, flatten, wrap, and chill 45 minutes.
- Simmer the peeled plantains in water until very soft, 10 to 12 minutes, then drain well and mash them smooth in a bowl.
- Stir in the brown sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and lime juice while the plantain is hot so the butter melts in. Cool the filling completely; warm filling will melt the pastry.
- Roll the chilled dough 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick and cut 5-inch (13 cm) rounds, rerolling scraps once. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and line two sheets with parchment.
- Put 2 tablespoons of filling on one half of each round, brush the border with the beaten egg, fold over into a half moon, and press the edges together with a fork to seal. Overfilling is the reason tarts burst, so keep to the measure.
- Set the tarts on the sheets, brush the tops with egg, and cut two small vents in each. Bake until the pastry is deep golden and the edges are crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cool at least 15 minutes before eating; the filling holds heat far longer than the crust suggests.
Notes
- Plantains with fully black skins are the sweetest; yellow ones need extra sugar and still taste starchy.
- A drop of red food coloring in the filling is traditional in many Jamaican bakeries and purely cosmetic.
