Coconut Cream Pie... You Can't Have Enough Pies for the Holidays

As a kid, I always hated coconut. You know that sweetened shredded stuff would make me recoil instantly. As an adult I have come to like it a lot in its various forms. Coconut milk, cream, flakes,etc. And lately I have been obsessed since visiting Tom Douglas Palace Kitchen in Seattle. Their Coconut Cream pie blew me away. Large unsweetened coconut flakes and shavings of White Chocolate.

So on my birthday I decided to bake myself a pie , rather than cake. Ironically I found his recipe in one of those bargain books created by Kitchen Aid. A compilation of previously published recipes. I decided to use his Triple Coconut Cream Pie as a Guide. A guide, as I decided to swap out regular milk for Creamed Coconut from Goya. This is a solid block of creamed coconut that's beyond and different coconut milk or cream. Its often called for in curry recipes and is very rich. The swap worked and worked double as it provided the texture of shredded sweetened coconut that the custard base called for as well as providing that creaminess and thickening factor as it sets without adding corn starch or flour.. Another change I made was using ground almonds in his short crust. Lot of changes, but it all came together beautifully. I didn't have a block of white chocolate, so I melted chips, spread it thin on parchment and chilled it. The I broke it up into shards to adorn the pie with large toasted flaked coconut.

Coconut Cream Pie
( inspired by Tom Douglas' Triple Coconut Cream Pie, but with significant changes)

Pie Crust
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup finely ground almonds or almond flour
1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup ice water

Pastry Cream
1 (200 grams) 7oz block Pure Creamed Coconut (*not coconut milk or cream)
1 cup milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar


Topping
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
unsweetened large coconut flakes for garnish
white chocolate shavings for garnish
1 packet Dr Oetker's Whip It optional

Making Pie Crust
In a stand mixer combine flour, ground almonds, butter,sugar, and salt. Mix until a crumbly mixture . Add ice cold water gradually. Dough should hold together when held together between fingers. Dough should still be crumbly and not form a ball.Take the dough and gently place crumbly dough on waxed paper or plastic . Cover with another sheet and form a flattened disc . Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour before rolling out.

Roll out dough and flatten dough on lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, transfer and shape into pie tin or baking dish. It may break apart, and that's OK. Form with hands in baking tin. Make sure you let the dough overextend edge, as it will shrink while baking.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before baking.

Take Parchment paper and cover unbaked pie crust. Fill with dried beans or pie beans. Blind Bake in preheated oven at 400 F. Bake for 25 min or until golden. Remove form oven and remove paper and beans. Place back in oven and finish baking for 10 more minutes or until golden all the way through.
Allow to cool before adding filing.

Pastry Cream
In a sauce pan melt the Pure Creamed Coconut over Medium heat. Add Milk. Bring Mixture to a boil.Remove from heat.
In a separate bowl whisk eggs , sugar, and vanilla. Gradually temper a bit of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisking. Then add the tempered egg mixture to the hot milk mixture. Be careful as you don't want cooked eggs. Once all in saucepan heat while constantly whisking until mixture is very thick. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming on top and bring to room temperature, then refrigerate. The cream will thicken as it cools.

Whipped Topping

On a shallow parchment lined baking sheet, toast coconut flakes at 350F until they start to brown. Be careful not to burn and remove quickly.
Make you white chocolate shavings and set aside.

Whip cold heavy cream , sugar , and vanilla in stand mixture with balloon. Add Whip It if you want a thicker stabilized cream.Do not over whip, but whip until stiff peak stage.

Spread Pastry cream in Pie Shell. Top with Whipped Cream. Smooth and make decorative opeaks with off set spatula. Garnish liberally with toasted coconut flakes and white chocolate shavings.

Serve.