Tropical treasures … desserts that make the most of Hawaiian fruits

Sunset, March, 1992 by Elaine Johnson

A WARM, SANDY BEACH SEEMS just steps away when you,re enjoying one of these tropical indulgences from Hawaii. With ingredients like sweet pineapple and coconut, aromatic mango and guava, and rich macadamia nuts, these desserts are deliciously exotic to the eye as well as to the palate.

Consider a luscious coconut cake, or a silken sorbet. What about a striking pineapple tart? They,re all specialties of the Halekulani Hotel on Waikiki. If you,re nuts about macadamias, don,t miss the cheesecake. It's from the CanoeHouse restaurant at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows on the Big Island.

Each recipe has make-ahead steps.

Sorbet in Cookie Tulips

The chef used a mold to shape cookies; you can form yours over a food can. If you use more than one flavor sorbet, freeze the extra.

Guava, pineapple, and/or

mango mixture (following)

Cookie tulips (following)

Fresh fruit (optional)

Pour guava, pineapple, or mango mixture into an ice cream maker. Freeze as manufacturer directs. Use, or freeze airtight up to 1 week. Makes 4 1/2 to 5 cups. Scoop into cookies; add fruit. Serves 6.

Guava mixture. Mix 3 cups guava nectar (bottled or thawed frozen reconstituted), 2/3 cup light corn syrup, and 1/4 cup lime juice.

Per 1/2 cup guava sorbet 93 cal.; 0 g protein; 0 g fat; 23 g carbo.; 35 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Pineapple mixture. In a blender or food processor, whirl 3 cups peeled and cored fresh pineapple chunks, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, and 1/4 cup lemon juice until smooth.

Per 1/2 cup pineapple sorbet: 55 cal.; 0.2 g protein; 0.2 g fat (0 g sat.); 14 g carbo.; 17 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Mango mixture. Peel, pit, and cut ripe mangoes (about 4 medium-size, 2 3/4 lb. total) to make 3 cups chunks. In a blender or food processor, whirl fruit with 2/3 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup lemon juice until smooth.

Per 1/2 cup mango sorbet: 122 cal.; 0.5 g protein; 0.3 g fat (0.1 g sat.); 31 g carbo.; 36 mg sodium; 0 mg choL

Cookie tulips. In a bowl, beat 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter or margarine and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 large egg whites until smooth.

Bake 2 cookies at a time. Butter a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. With fingertip, draw a 7-inch-wide circle on 1 corner of sheet; repeat in opposite corner. In each circle, spread 3 tablespoons batter to fill evenly.

Bake in a 350[degrees] oven until golden, 9 to 10 minutes. At once, lift cookies, 1 at a time, with wide spatula and drape each over a clean 1-pound food can; gently pinch cookie sides to form a fluted cup. Repeat to make remaining cookies. If made ahead, store airtight up to 1 day. Makes 6.

Per cookie: 173 cal.; 2. 2 g protein; 7. 7 g fat (4. 8 g sat.); 24 g carbo.; 97 mg sodium; 21 mg chol.

Halekulani Coconut Cake

About 1 1/4 cups cake flour

About 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup salad oil

1/4 cup water

5 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup milk 3 1/2 cups (11 oz.) sweetened

shredded dried coconut

1 cup whipping cream

Raspberry coulis (following)

For cake. Sift flour; measure 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons. Sift again with 1/3 cup sugar and baking powder into a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk oil, water, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; add to flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

Separate remaining 4 eggs; put yolks in a small bowl. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating until whites hold firm, moist peaks. Gently fold whites into flour mixture.

Spread batter in an ungreased 9inch cheesecake pan (at least 2 1/2 in. deep) with a removable rim. Bake in a 350[degrees] oven until cake springs back when lightly touched in center, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife between cake and rim; invert cake onto rack. Remove rim; slide a spatula along pan bottom and remove. Let cool; if made ahead, store airtight up to 1 day.

For pastry cream. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart pan, mix Y3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons flour. Whisk in milk. Stir over medium-high heat until boiling, 4 to 6 minutes. Whisk about 1/2 cup hot mixture into yolks. Stir yolk mixture into pan; whisk over medium-low heat until slightly thicker, 30 to 90 seconds. Stir in 1 1/2 cups coconut and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Let cool, stirring often. Cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

To assemble cake. With a long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 equal layers.

In a bowl, whip cream with 2 tablespoons sugar until thick enough to hold its shape; fold 3/4 cup into pastry cream. Chill remainder.

Invert cake onto a platter. Slide rimless baking sheets under each of the top 2 layers and lift off. Tuck wide strips of waxed paper just under bottom edge of cake. Spread layer almost to edge with half the pastry cream. Slide middle layer onto filling; spread with remaining filling. Slide last layer onto filling. Frost cake with remaining whipped cream. Pat remaining coconut into cream. Cover gently; chill 2 hours or until next day.

Ease out waxed paper and discard. Pour raspberry coulis equally onto dessert plates; top with cake wedges. Serves 10.