Toasted Coconut Cream Pie

Before you start

What separates a good coconut cream pie from a sweet, vaguely tropical pudding is toasting. Raw shredded coconut tastes mostly of sugar; browned in the oven it turns nutty and fragrant. This pie uses toasted coconut twice, folded into the custard and scattered over the whipped cream, and builds the custard on canned coconut milk mixed with dairy milk for real coconut flavor without the heaviness of all coconut cream.

The shell is a plain butter crust baked completely before filling, until golden and crisp from rim to center. Because the filling is stirred on the stove and only chilled, any pale or underbaked patch in the crust stays soft forever. The custard itself sets with cornstarch and yolks and must boil briefly to hold its shape when sliced.

Ingredients

• Crust165 g (1⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter — cold, cubed
• 60–75 ml (4–5 tbsp) ice water
• Coconut90 g (about 1¼ cups) sweetened shredded coconut — divided
• Custard400 ml (13.5 oz can) full-fat coconut milk — well shaken
• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
• 120 g (⅔ cup minus 1 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 40 g (⅓ cup) cornstarch
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Topping360 ml (1½ cups) cold heavy cream
• 25 g (3 tbsp) powdered sugar

Method

1. Mix the dough: rub the butter into the flour, salt and sugar until pea-sized, add ice water until it just holds, and chill as a disk for 1 hour. Roll it to 30 cm (12 in), line the pie plate, crimp and freeze for 15 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Spread the coconut on the rimmed sheet and toast for 6 to 9 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until mostly golden with some white shreds. Set aside 30 g for the top. Raise the oven to 200°C (400°F).
3. Line the cold shell with parchment and weights and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and bake another 12 to 15 minutes, until the whole crust, including the bottom, is evenly golden. Cool completely on a rack.
4. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt in the saucepan. Gradually whisk in the coconut milk and whole milk, then the yolks, until no starch lumps remain.
5. Set over medium heat and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble, 6 to 8 minutes. Let it boil for 1 minute while whisking, until it mounds on the whisk.
6. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla and 60 g of the toasted coconut. Pour into the cooled crust, smooth the top, and press plastic wrap onto the surface.
7. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until fully set. Whip the cream with the powdered sugar to medium peaks, spread it over the pie, and scatter the reserved 30 g coconut on top.

Tips for success

• Coconut goes from golden to burnt in under a minute. Stay by the oven and stir often while it toasts.
• Shake the can of coconut milk hard or whisk it in a bowl first so the cream and water are evenly combined.
• For a deeper flavor, steep the toasted coconut in the warm milk mixture for 15 minutes before adding the starch and yolks; leave it in the custard.

Substitutions

Sweetened shredded coconut

Unsweetened coconut flakes toast more evenly and taste less sugary; add 2 tbsp extra sugar to the custard.

Pastry crust

Use a graham cracker crust with 30 g toasted coconut mixed into the crumbs for an easier, no-roll pie.

Whole milk

Use a second can of coconut milk for a dairy-light custard (butter and cream remain). It is heavier and more pronounced in flavor.

Variations

Coconut-lime

Add 2 tsp lime zest to the custard with the butter and a little more zest to the topping.

Chocolate coconut

Spread 60 g melted dark chocolate over the baked, cooled crust before the custard.

Troubleshooting

Soft, soggy bottom crust

The shell was underbaked. Bake it until the bottom is golden, not just dry, before filling.

Custard tastes starchy and will not set

It did not boil. Cook until large bubbles appear and keep whisking at a boil for a full minute.

Coconut on top turned soft

It was added too early. Sprinkle the toasted coconut on just before serving.

Storage

Refrigerate, loosely covered, for up to 3 days. Top with whipped cream and coconut on the day you serve if you can. Do not leave the pie at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. Freezing is not recommended; the custard weeps when thawed.

Safety notes

The custard contains egg yolks cooked to a boil; keep it refrigerated. Contains wheat, egg, milk and coconut.