Coconut Pie
Rach Kim
Test Kitchen-Approved
Photo by Alpha Smoot
- Serves
- 8 to 12 (depending on the size of the slice)
On a trip to Turks and Caicos a few years ago, I had the best coconut pie ever at a local restaurant called Coco Bistro. When I got home, I tried to recreate the pie and came up with a delicious rendition. A few years later, I went back to Turks and Caicos and had more coconut pie—and guess what? Mine is better!
Ingredients
- 8 graham crackers (one sleeve)
- 1/4 cup pecans
- 4 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk
- 15 ounce can sweetened cream of coconut
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 5 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cold butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon icing (powdered) sugar
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WHO: Rach Kim develops her own recipes and writes about them on her blog.
WHAT: A superlative coconut cream pie for the superlative coconut lover.
HOW: Pour a rich coconut custard into a toasty graham cracker crust, layer on billowy whipped cream, and shower with golden coconut flakes.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Rich but not heavy, sweet but not cloying, this coconut pie has it all—from a layer of almost caramelized coconut pudding to the light whipped cream and the toasted flakes of coconut on top and the pecan-cookie crust that holds it all together.
Directions
- Step 1
Start by making a graham cracker crust: Crush the graham crackers and pecans in a food processor (or by hand in a baggie with a rolling pin). Stir in melted butter, press into a pie tin, and bake at 350° F for 10 minutes. Then leave the crust to cool.
- Step 2
To make the coconut custard, start by heating milk and cream of coconut in a saucepan until scalding.
- Step 3
In a bowl, whisk together yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale yellow.
- Step 4
Carefully temper the yolk mixture by whisking in 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture. Then, slowly add the remaining milk, whisking continuously until fully combined.
- Step 5
Pour the custard base back into the saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk continuously until the custard boils and thickens. Then remove from the heat.
- Step 6
Whisk in the cold butter and vanilla extract. Leave custard to cool to room temperature.
- Step 7
Pour the cooled custard into the cooled crust and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours.
- Step 8
Toast coconut flakes in a pan over low heat until the edges are golden. Let cool.
- Step 9
Whip cream with icing sugar until it is thick and spreadable.
- Step 10
Top the coconut pie with whipped cream and sprinkle on coconut flakes. Slice and serve!