Instead of wrangling and untangling lights, family, or guests, I hope your holiday was peaceful.
We have less than a week to New Year’s. I’ve struggled, but narrowed a couple recipes for small and large gatherings.
Why This Coconut Cream Pie?
➙ Cookie Crust. Never would I have plunked coconut cream in a cookie crust. My mind said, “coconut’s too light and airy for the bold of a chocolate crust. Wrong. Thanks Martha.
➙ Coarse Salt. Sea, flake, kosher, but never did this brain think coarse in a pie. Chocolate cookies, coconut, and coarse salt… Genius. Thanks again Martha.
These are the moments. Where I haven’t and didn’t think to, others show me a new way.
How To Make A Coconut Cream Pie?
➙ Cookie Crust. Pulse cookie ingredients. Add butter and coat crumbs well. Form crust. Bake. Cool.
➙ Coconut Filling. Add coconut ingredients. Stir gently. Once boiling, stir, stir. Strain. Add butter and vanilla ~ smell the goodness. Pour into pie shell. Smooth and behold the beauty created from individual ingredients.
➙ Fresh Whipped Cream that holds shape without stabilization.
I speak for the love and creation of the best whipped cream and in the kindest way possible. The whole way through making whipped cream, try to keep focus on the whipped cream because once stiff peaks form, they begin to deflate. This happens fast and can go unnoticed if not paying attention. Can you tell I come to you from losing precious whip?
Remove frozen bowl and beaters. Plug the metals into the machine. Add cold cream, half powdered sugar, and full vanilla. If you have a plug by the sink, place the bowl in the sink.
Start on low-medium, so as not to wear the whipped cream and spray counter/floor/animals, etc. When the cream thickens, taste. If more sugar/extract is needed, add. When stiff peaks form (they’ll be standing thick), stop.
➙ Toasted Coconut Flakes. We use varying shreds and sizes of coconut and a toaster oven, which requires an extra watchful eye. On aluminum foil and directly on the rack, dial medium and watch until just golden. Remove from the foil and place in a bowl to cool.
How Long Can Coconut Cream Stay Out for a party?
➙ Once removed from the refrigerator, pie can party for up to two hours. With our pie peeps, pieces are quick to disappear.
Pie,
bringing people together for centuries.
Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients:
9-inch Cookie Crust
- 30 ~ 7 ounces chocolate wafer cookies
- 1/4 teaspoon salt - coarse
- 5-6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (sea level = 5 Tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened or sweetened or coconut - shredded
Coconut Filling
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt - coarse
- 2¾ cups milk - used whole
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (sea level = ¾ teaspoon)
- 1¼ cup unsweetened coconut shredded
Whipped Cream
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2-3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract - optional
Garnish
- 1/4 cup toasted coconut
Instructions
Cookie Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- In a food processor, pulse the chocolate wafers and salt until crumbs are fine.
- Transfer wafer mixture to a medium bowl, then add melted butter and stir well with a fork, spatula, or hands. Coat the crumbs until the butter's even in distribution and resembles wet sand. Stir in coconut.
- Spread the crumbs even across the bottom of the pie plate. With your hands, a tart tamper, or the back and side of a small measuring cup, press the cookie mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Refrigerate 15 minutes, then bake for 8-10. Transfer to cool completely on a wire rack.
Coconut Filling
- In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt together. Whisk in milk and egg yolks. Making sure the mixture's well combined, run a spatula along the corners and bottom of the saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk nonstop until the mixture boils and thickens, about 6-7 minutes. Continue stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat; strain pastry cream through a fine sieve over a large bowl. Stir in vanilla and coconut, then pour into the cooled pie plate and smooth with a spatula or spoon.
- A couple options for preventing a skin from forming:Press a piece of plastic over the surface (leaving little gaps or air pockets) of the pie. Glide a piece of butter or a light coat of vegetable spray across the surface of the pie, then press a (preferably unbleached) piece of parchment paper over (leaving little gaps or air pockets) the pie.Place the pie on a wire rack and let cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Whipped Cream/Toasted Coconut
- About 15 minutes before ready to serve, chill a medium (preferably glass or metal) bowl and the beaters from your electric mixer in the freezer.
- Using the electric mixer, start at medium speed. Beat the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until it starts to thicken. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue until stiff peaks form. Avoid over beating. Place the whipped cream in the refrigerator until ready for use.
- On a piece of aluminum foil spread shredded coconut then place directly on the toaster oven rack. Set to medium toast. Coconut's quick to brown, so keep a watchful eye. Once the coconut is golden, remove from the oven. If left on the foil, the coconut will continue to cook, so transfer to a plate or bowl to cool.
Pie Assembly
- Pipe or spread the whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut.Slice and enjoy a different kind of Coconut Cream Pie.
Notes
- If making a cream pie for the first time, at about the seven minute mark, you'll feel the pastry cream "turn" or thicken.
- Instead of sweetened coconut, we use unsweetened. We never increase the sugar to compensate and think the result is plenty sweet.
- Coconut Cream Pie keeps best (whipped) in the refrigerator for up to three days.
