Coconut Creamy-Custard Pie
Yield: One large pie and six mini pies or two small pies
Ingredients:
1 box of two 9" refrigerated pie crusts or two 9" frozen pie shells
5 cups of sweetened shredded coconut (divided)
1 1/2 cups of whole milk (divided)
3/4 cup of sugar (divided)
1 13.5oz can of coconut milk
1 15ox can of cream of coconut
1 envelope of gelatin
1/4 cup of corn starch
1 egg
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of coconut extract
1 tablespoon of butter
1 pinch of salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Crust:
1. Unroll your refrigerated pie crust and press into your pie shell. If you are making mini pies also, now is the time to cut out your dough and place into mini pie shells.
2. Put tin foil on top of your large crust and fill with lentils, or any other beans you have on hand, and bake at 425 F for 20 minutes. Take the pie shells out, remove beans and foil, and place tin foil around just the edges of your pie shell so the edges don't burn. Place back in the oven for 10 more minutes. At this time add your mini pie shells, if you are making minis as well. The minis only need 10-12 minutes in the oven at 425 F. After everything is baked, turn off your oven and set the pie shells on the counter to cool while you work on your filling.
Filling:
3. In a small bowl add 1/2 cup of whole milk and your packet of gelatin. Mix with a fork and let set for 10 minutes.
4. In a medium saucepan add 1 cup of whole milk, can of coconut milk, 1/4 cup of sugar, coconut extract, and vanilla extract on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Make sure to mix continuously so you do not burn your milk!
5. In your Kitchen Aid mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, add your egg and egg yolks. Whip at medium speed for 1 minute. Add your salt, remaining sugar, and corn starch to your mixer. Mix for another minute.
6. Slowly add in your milk and gelatin mixture, to your Kitchen Aid mixer, while on a low speed. Increase your speed to medium and mix well for 1-2 minutes.
7. At this point your saucepan milk mixture should be simmering away and ready. Slowly spoon, with a large cooking spoon, one spoonful of your hot milk into your Kitchen Aid mixer's mixture. Keep your mixer on low and keep spooning, slowly, until there is no mixture left in your saucepan. Let your mixer run for 1-2 minutes on low to incorporate all your ingredients.
8. Remove your Kitchen Aid mixer's bowl and place all the contents back into that saucepan. Cook on medium for 5 minutes. Continuously stir with your cooking spoon. Make sure to get out any lumps that may be forming in the cooking process. After 5 minutes your mixture should be pudding-like and creamy.
9. Turn your stove top heat off and add your cream of coconut and butter and stir well. Then, add 3 cups of shredded coconut to your mixture. Pour your mixture into your pie shells. Refrigerate for 8-12 hours or overnight.
Topping:
10. In your Kitchen Aid mixer, add your heavy whipping cream and your powdered sugar. Blend on high until peaks are forming. Spread heavily across your pies.
11. Sprinkle the remainder of your shredded coconut on top of your pies. Enjoy!
This dessert is perfect to make the night before you are having guests over and all you have to do the day of is make the topping. There are lots of steps to this pie, and lots of dishes that get dirtied in the process, but it is all so worth it in the end! I am currently in coconut heaven! Yum!
Note: If you are dairy-free you could replace the whole milk with an extra can of coconut milk and the filling should still set up properly. Also, if you whip coconut milk it becomes the texture of whipped cream. You could replace the whipped cream topping with whipped coconut milk instead! Enjoy!
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