Coconut Cream Pie

Every now and then I earn the title "the good child" from my mama. That's always a nice feeling. I earned it recently with this addition to my Thanksgiving dessert menu, which was requested by you guessed it... my mama. It was touch and go there at first - mama had asked for the pie with meringue, but I earned my way off the hook after everyone had tried this version. This has never been a pie that I requested or sought out - I'm much more fond of chocolate, french silk, or chess - but it did have a really good flavor and my stepdad and grandfather finished off this pie. I found more than a dozen recipe variations on Pinterest, but this is the one I decided to try: Coconut Cream Pie. I used my Pie Crust recipe again for this one.

1 baked pie crust

For the Toasted Coconut Topping
½ cup flaked, sweetened coconut

For the Coconut Custard
1½ cups coconut milk
1½ cups half-and-half
5 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
4 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp butter
¼ tsp salt
1½ cups flaked, sweetened coconut
1½ tsp vanilla

For the Whipped Topping
2 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Place into 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until coconut has just begun to turn brown. Be careful!  Coconut goes from toasting to toasted very quickly!  Watch it carefully, and go with the lesser time and add what you need. Set aside to cool.

Pour coconut milk and half-and-half into a liquid measuring cup. Add egg yolks and whisk together. Set aside.

***coconut milk is not the same thing as coconut cream. Ensure you have coconut milk!***

Add sugar and cornstarch to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk egg and milk mixture together once more and then slowly begin to add to the sugar and cornstarch, whisking together constantly.

Bring custard mixture to a boil. Switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and continue to stir constantly. Boil one minute.

Remove from heat and add butter, coconut, vanilla and salt.

Spread custard into pie crust. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until set, about 30-45 minutes.

For whipped topping:

Add sugar and heavy whipping cream to large bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer just until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla and whisk just until combined. Spread whipped cream on top of coconut custard. Refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, top with toasted coconut.