This fruity mango-coconut cream tart with some unusual flavors is my contribution to an exceptional competition called #KunstKochen (art cooking), organized by German organic food wholesaler Alnatura and the Städel Museum in Frankfurt – Germanys oldest museum foundation. Twelve artworks are available to choose from, and one of them immediately triggered something in me: Arafat without scarf by Georg Herold.

The abstract painting is a donation to the Städel. Why, back in 1990, was the German artist throwing caviar on varnish and numbered individual granules? The museum has no clear answer. “The picture invites the viewer for his opinion, but refuses to be explicit,” it says here.

With the recipe for my, in every sense unique tart, I drew up a little anecdote to Arafat without scarf. More about that in a minute.

But first: Take a look at “my” Frankfurt and the Städel

I never noticed the picture before – although I do not regularly, but always like visit the Städel. Not only the changing exhibitions and the almost infinite fund of works from 700 years of art history are a class of their own. The palatial architecture together with its latest, subterranean new building, which by 195 portholes in the museum garden, skillfully throws daylight on over 300 contemporary works in the basement, is a total work of art.

Whenever I visit the Städel, memories awaken. Of particular books, I bought in the museum shop. Meeting friends at the café. A super exciting interview with a Michelin guide restaurant inspector at the Holbein’s restaurant, during which I panicked at some point, recognizing that my wallet was still at home. My husband, who then worked diagonally opposite in the Frankfurt Westhafen district, had to play courier and very discreet dropped off some euros.

Let’s turn Mango-Coconut Cream Tart into art and history

The idea of developing a recipe based on a work of art inspired me immediately On the website www.kunstkochen.de Alnatura, and the Städel Museum display twelve different works to choose fragrantly. Instinctive I knew that Arafat without scarf would be my blueprint.

There are already wonderful contributions from big blogs like nutsandblueberries, our food stories, and Das Knusperstübchen.

I worked with brushes, colors and poppy seed (instead of caviar) to create an individual base for taking the pictures. The idea and the history of the recipe almost happened by themselves.

My mango-coconut cream tart is full of hidden flavors and tells one episode of the picture like this: Those days, Arafat abandoned everything: His scarf, his identity, his cultural circle.

Inspired by a short stay in Greece, he refined the dough of his tart with rosemary. It is not handed down, but I believe that he smuggled a cutting of the evergreen shrub to Southeast Asia. There, in his houseboat on the river Mae Nam Nan, he cooked coconut milk with jasmine blossoms in the glow of the first rays of the day, thickening it a little and filling up his pastry almost full to the brim. The fragrance was captivating, yet the colors reminded him too strongly of his scarf, his origin. He needed Couleur, contrast.



Somewhere on the roadside, he bought two mangos, spoilt by the sun

Still, with the dust of the narrow alley on his tongue, he could downright taste, how fragrant rosemary, delicate jasmine, creamy-mild coconut and aromatic sweet mango – mashed and rounded off with just a little sugar and lime juice – would become a fine art delight.

What was missing now? Black Sesame and pleasant company, with which he could talk about everything, just please no politics. A steaming cup of jasmine tea, maybe…

So what about you? Do you follow Arafat’s trail? Would you share with him a piece of this mango-coconut cream tart that takes you away to a shady terrace with a sluggish ceiling fan, whirling dust and hot air around while you are indulging your first piece, still cold from the fridge? Preoccupied, the mango puree dripping on your plate…

Write me your thoughts in the Comment box – I’m curious!

Creative indulgence: Mango-Coconut Cream Tart Save Recipe Save Recipe Print Recipe Ingredients Shortcrust pastry 200 g plain flour 100 g cold butter or vegan butter, cut into small pieces 50 g brown sugar a pinch of salt 1/2 tbsp chopped rosemary 2-3 tbsp ice cold water Coconut cream filling 1 can of coconut milk 30 g unrefined sugar (I used coconut sugar) 1 tbsp dried jasmine flowers or 1 bag of jasmine tea a pinch of salt 4 tbsp cornstarch Mango puree 2 ripe and flavorful mangos 1 tbsp. brown or coconut sugar lime juice to your taste Black sesame METHOD Prepare the shortcrust by kneading together all ingredients except the water. When your dough is getting crumbly, add just enough cold water until dough sticks together. Wrap with a baking sheet (I avoid the plastic wrapping) and put in the fridge for at least one hour, better over night (and up to two days). Preheat oven to 130 °C / 270 °F Grease your tin and roll out dough in desired shape, adding about 5 cm. Lift it up draped over the rolling pin and lay it across your tin. Gently press dough into the corners and trim off the edges. Cover pastry with the baking paper you used to wrap while freezing it and add bake beans, lentils or peas. Bake slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on your oven) until golden brown. Then remove paper and pulses. In the meantime, bring coconut milk, sugar, jasmine and salt to simmer. Stir together cornstarch and a little bit of cold water. Mix well into the flavored coconut milk and allow to boil for a couple of minutes. Press cream through a sieve and then let it cool down. Cut off the flesh from your mangos using a sharp knife. Use a food processor or a blender to puree the fruit with sugar and lime juice to your taste (I used about 2 tsp.). Fill the tart with coconut cream first, then add mango puree on one half and marble both fillings. Sprinkle with black sesame. Your tart is ready to enjoy now or can be cooled down again in the fridge until you are ready to serve. 7.8.1.2 15 https://sweetcafeinternational.com/en/mango-coconut-cream-tart/ Tamara @sweetcafeinternational

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