Coconut, ginger and lime soufflé

Sit beside a piggery and watch for flying creatures.

And if  you do, you might also be quick enough to catch me posting a dessert recipe as I'm about to.  I surprise myself from time to time:  this is one of those times.

It's not that I can't.  It's simply that I don't, or not often.  We tend not to make what we don't eat ourselves.  I married a non-dessert person so I became one too.  Nuts in all forms are off the menu in this house and if you look at the list of 'may contain' ingredients in so many dessert or pudding ingredients, you hav\e to stop before you even start or substitute to the point where the finished product bears no resemblance to the recipe starting point.  I know we all do that but an apple and almond cake is simply not the same without the almonds.  Frustrating?  You bet.  So my kids never expected any 'afters' once the main course was served and eaten.

But on my last visit to Toronto, I cut out a recipe from the Globe, one of the lovely Lucy Waverman's, in the 29th February (Sadie Hawkins' Day) edition.  Entitled Proposal Pie, it might be an attempt to entice young men to accept a marriage proposal.  After all, it was once said that the way to a man's heart had something to do with what he ate first but that may have been the Heart Foundation trying to get clever.

But even if this one doesn't prove to be a matchmaker, it's certainly easy and successful  and if only I could find the coconut without the 'may contain' warning, it would be perfect.  And hey, if I can make it..........    well, you get the idea. 

2 large eggs
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup plain flour
1 cup whipping or double cream
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes (or desiccated)
1 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger (or ginger in syrup and just drain the syrup)
½ tsp grated lime rind
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt

Whisk ingredients together in large bowl.  Divide among three small, buttered flan dishes (but don't use the tiny ramekins as I did).  Bake at 170º C (350ºF) for about 40 minutes until top is golden and middle is set.  The 'pie' settles in three layers when cooking.

Serves 2 amply with extra for the next day or a couple of gate crashers.