Crab & Boursin Cheese Luau Tarts Recipe

Make dough

Whisk flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add cubed cold butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter pieces.

Add water & chill

Sprinkle ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over the mixture, tossing gently with a fork until dough just comes together when pressed (about 3 tablespoons total). Do not overwork. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes.

Roll & line tart pans

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 4.5-inch rounds and gently press into 12 tartlet pans (or a 12-cup muffin tin). Trim edges and prick bottoms lightly with a fork. Chill shells in pans for 10 minutes to prevent shrinkage.

Blind bake

Line shells with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 12–14 minutes until edges set and lightly golden. Remove weights and parchment and bake 3–5 more minutes until bottoms are dry. Allow shells to cool slightly while preparing filling.

Prepare luau leaves

If using fresh luau (taro) leaves, remove stems, wash thoroughly, and chop. Blanch in boiling salted water for 2 minutes to soften and remove any itchiness, then shock in ice water. Squeeze out excess water and finely chop. If using frozen, thaw, squeeze dry and chop. You should have about 2 cups packed.

Toast coconut (optional)

Spread 3/4 cup shredded coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven (375°F/190°C) for 5–7 minutes, stirring once, until golden. Watch closely to avoid burning. Allow to cool slightly.

Make custard base

In a medium saucepan, warm whole milk and half-and-half over low heat until steam just appears (do not boil). In a bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolk, sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg until combined. Slowly temper the warm milk into the eggs in a steady stream while whisking. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (do not boil). Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.

Combine luau & coconut with custard

Stir the chopped luau leaves and toasted coconut into the warm custard until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Let the custard sit until just warm; it will be combined with the cheese and crab next.

Prepare cheese mixture

In a medium bowl, beat Boursin and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in grated Parmesan, chopped chives, cilantro, lime zest and lime juice, and hot sauce if using. Season lightly with black pepper and a pinch of salt if desired (Boursin and Parmesan are salty).

Fold in crab

Gently fold the lump blue crab meat into the cheese mixture, trying to keep the lumps intact. Then fold in about three-quarters of the luau-coconut custard so the mixture is creamy but still holds some crab texture. Reserve the remaining custard to thin or top tarts if needed.

Fill tart shells

Lower oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Spoon the crab-cheme mixture into the pre-baked tart shells, filling each about 3/4 full. If mixture seems very thick, stir in small amounts of the reserved custard until it reaches a spoonable consistency. Smooth tops with the back of a spoon.

Bake to set

Brush exposed crust edges with beaten egg for gloss. Bake the filled tarts at 350°F (175°C) for 12–16 minutes, until filling is set (slight jiggle in center is fine) and tops are lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes.

Toast coconut for garnish

If you didn't toast coconut earlier, toast 1/4 cup now by spreading on a small sheet and placing in the 350°F oven for 3–5 minutes, watching closely until golden. Cool.

Garnish & serve

Sprinkle each tart with a little toasted coconut and a few chopped chives or a micro-cilantro leaf. Serve warm with lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Tarts are best eaten the same day; refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days and reheat gently.