Classic Coconut Cream Pie

Instructions

Blind Baking the Pie Crust

Note: This recipe uses ½ (one dough round) of my Flaky Pie Crust recipe (I usually freeze the other half for later). If using a store-bough crust, skip this section and follow the package instructions to fully blind bake the crust (not a partial bake).
After the pie dough has chilled, place one round of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a circle with a 1" to 1 ½" overhang for a 9” pie plate. Rotate the dough as needed to prevent sticking.
Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough onto the pie plate and gently press it into the bottom and sides of the dish, ensuring there is still about 1" to 1 ½" of overhang.
Fold the outside edge of dough under itself to form a thicker outer rim, pressing firmly and shaping as desired.
Chill the shaped pie crust in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425℉.
Once the oven is preheated, remove the chilled pie crust from the freezer. Line the crust with aluminum foil, pressing it gently against the surface of the dough and covering as much of the crust as possible. Fill the foil with pie weights, dried beans, or rice, pressing the weights gently into all edges of the crust.
Bake until the outer edges have set and have turned light golden brown (about 20 to 25 minutes). (Carefully lift the foil to check if needed.)
Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with the tines of a fork, then return it to the oven to bake until the crust is fully baked and golden brown (about 10 to 15 minutes longer).
Pro tip: Keep an eye on the crust during the first few minutes. If it begins to puff up, remove it from the oven and prick it again with a fork to allow the steam to escape. If the edges of the crust begin to brown too quickly, loosely cover any of those areas with small pieces of aluminum foil.
Transfer the baked crust to a wire rack and allow it to cool while toasting the coconut and preparing the filling.

Toasting the Coconut

Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Spread 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut into a single layer on an unlined baking sheet.
Note: Although the filling only requires 1 cup of toasted coconut, I recommend toasting 1 ½ cups to allow extra for topping.
Toast the coconut in the center of the oven for 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir with a wooden spoon, then shake the pan to redistribute the coconut back into a single layer.
Return the coconut to the oven and repeat this process every 2 to 3 minutes until the coconut is fragrant and light golden brown. (Keep a close eye on it, as coconut can burn quickly; the total baking time should be about 7 to 10 minutes.)
Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and allow the coconut to cool completely.

Preparing the Filling

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch until no lumps remain.
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
Add in the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and forms a slowly dissolving ribbon on the surface when the whisk is lifted out of the mixture. Set aside.
5 large egg yolks
In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, whisk together the coconut milk, half-and-half, and salt until combined. Heat over medium-low until tepid.
13.5 oz (400 mL) unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup half-and-half, or whole milk
¼ tsp kosher salt
Whisking constantly, slowly pour the tepid coconut milk mixture into the large bowl with the egg yolk mixture, adding just a few dribbles at a time at first to prevent the eggs from curdling.
Transfer the mixture back into the saucepan and return it to medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until it becomes very thick and begins to bubble. (You can stop whisking momentarily to check if the mixture is bubbling.) Continue cooking the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes after it begins to bubble.
Once the mixture has bubbled for 1 to 2 minutes, remove it from the heat and immediately stir in the chilled, cubed butter, whisking until fully melted and incorporated.
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½" cubes
Stir in the vanilla and 1 cup of the toasted coconut.
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pour the filling into the baked pie crust and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming as it sits.
Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, but ideally overnight.

Preparing the Stabilized Whipped Cream

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, if using an electric hand mixer), beat the chilled cream cheese until it is smooth and no lumps remain.
¼ cup full-fat cream cheese, chilled
Add in the vanilla, followed by the powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth and resembling the consistency of cream cheese frosting.
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp powdered (icing) sugar
Pour in the cream and continue beating until the whipped cream forms medium-firm peaks. (It should be sturdy enough to hold its shape on top of the pie.)
1 ½ cup heavy cream, chilled
Pour the whipped cream over the chilled pie filling and spread it around with the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle the top with additional toasted coconut, as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Ingredients

For the Pie Crust

For the Filling

For the Stabilized Whipped Cream

Instructions

Blind Baking the Pie Crust

Toasting the Coconut

Preparing the Filling

Preparing the Stabilized Whipped Cream

Nutrition

Classic Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients 1x2x3x

For the Pie Crust

For the Filling

For the Stabilized Whipped Cream

Instructions

Blind Baking the Pie Crust

Toasting the Coconut

Preparing the Filling

Preparing the Stabilized Whipped Cream

Nutrition

Ingredients