National Coconut Torte Day

Are you aware what the difference is between a tart and a torte? A torte has minimal to no flour, whereas a tart generally has a flour based crust.

Five Fun Coconut Facts:

1.  A coconut tree can grow to be as tall as ninety feet.
2. The brown shell is not the only protective covering for a coconut. When it is on the tree the coconut also has another protective husk over the brown shell. It is called the “coir” and is removed before coconuts are shipped.
3. Copra is the name for the meat of the coconut after it has been dried.
4. One cup of coconut has 280 calories.
5. The most expensive coconut is the makapuno, which is grown in the Phillipines.

 Five Coconut Recipes:

1. Pumpkin Coconut Tart- This Pumpkin Coconut Tart gets its unique flavor from dark rum, coconut milk, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
2. Mini Chocolate Coconut Sandwiches- Minis are great because you can enjoy just one without the guilt. (Or you can do what I do: eat seconds, thirds, and fourths of these bite-sized babies when no one is looking!) For pareve sandwiches, substitute non-dairy sorbet and pareve cookies and you are good to go.
3. Pineapple-Coconut Layer Cake- Every bite of this Pineapple-Coconut Layer Cake is packed with sweet, creamy and rich flavor!
4. Pareve (Dairy Free) Coconut Ice Cream - No one will believe this ice cream is pareve and if you don’t like coconut, don’t worry, the flavor is very subtle.
5. Toasted Coconut Banana Muffins (Gluten Free) - I love muffins–built in portion control! Since I bake gluten free, I rely on fruits and vegetables like bananas to ensure a rich, moist product. There are many gluten free flour substitutes (sorghum, rice, soy, quinoa, etc.), but a mixture of gluten free flours usually produces the best results, so I rely on Bob’s Red Mill or Arrowhead Mills baking and bread flour mixes.

Click for more coconut recipes.

Nutrition info per serving of coconut torte:

Calories:   260
Fat: 11 g
Carbohydrates: 38 g
Cholesterol: 17 mg
Sodium: 134 mg
Protein:  3 g
Sugars:  32 g