Coconut Cream Pie

Coconut cream pie is an indulgence worth trying! This recipe features coconut three ways. There is coconut milk and sweetened shredded coconut in the filling and shaved and toasted coconut flakes on top - it’s sure to satisfy any coconut pie cravings!

Coconut Cream Pie
Makes 1 (10-inch) Pie

Pie Crust Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 sticks salted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 
1/8 cup cold buttermilk
1/8 cup ice cold water

Coconut Cream Filling Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 cup sugar
1 can coconut milk
1-1/2 cups half and half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Whipped Cream Topping Ingredients:
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coconut rum (optional)
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Garnish:
1-1/2 cups shaved coconut, toasted in oven until golden brown

Directions:
1. Prepare the pie crust by mixing the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut the cold butter into half-inch cubes.
2. Combine the butter and flour together by hand with a pastry blender, or pulse with a food processor leaving pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Avoid using your fingers or hands to combine the flour and butter -- the heat will melt the butter and reduce the crust’s flakiness. As well, avoid over-mixing the butter and flour.
3. Add the buttermilk and cold water to the crumbly dough. Gather the dough until it loosely comes together into a ball.
4. Flatten the ball of dough slightly, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
5. Once the crust has chilled, roll it out into 10” circle and place in the pie dish. Crimp the edge and line the pie with parchment and pie weights. Re-chill the rolled out pie dough for another 20 minutes to help slow shrinkage during baking. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the pie crust cool completely.
6. Prepare the coconut cream filling. In a large saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, corn starch, sugar, coconut milk, and half and half together. Continue whisking over low heat until the mixture begins to just bubble and thicken. This thickening process can take up to 15 minutes, keep the heat on medium-low, and monitor carefully to be sure the filling doesn’t burn. Whisk often, and cook until it thickens into a pudding-like texture. 
7. Remove the filling from the heat and whisk in the salt, butter, vanilla extract, and shredded coconut.
8. Add the warm filling to the par-baked, cooled pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set, about 3-4 hours.
9. Using a food processor to get a more stabilized whipped cream, pulse together the whipped cream ingredients and continue pulsing until very stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream on top of the chilled pie.
Pro tip: To make a stabilized whipped cream without any additives, try using a food processor! The fast blades can make a stiff whip cream that is able to be piped on desserts and maintain its shape.
10. Add a garnish of toasted and shaved coconut.
11. Slice and enjoy!