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Best Coconut Cream Pie

What makes the Best Coconut Cream Pie? Coconut milk & shreds of real coconut in the filling, & toasted coconut on top, with a flaky crust.
Author Shannon Lyon

Ingredients

Best Flaky Pie Crust - Click Here to see Instructions for the Crust!

    Coconut Cream Pie Filling

    • 4 egg yolks
    • 1/4 cup cornstarch
    • 1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk (not lite)
    • 1 cup half and half
    • 2/3 cup white sugar
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 3 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
    • 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

    Whipped Cream

    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • 5 tablespoons white sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

    Toasted Coconut

    • 1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

    Instructions

    Flaky Pie Crust

    • Follow the instructions here for making and rolling out the pie crust.
      Blind bake the crust then chill before making the coconut cream pie filling.
      You'll pour the coconut cream filling into a chilled, baked pie crust.

    Coconut Cream Filling

    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
      (The bowl needs to be bigger than you think because later you'll temper the eggs by adding some of the warm coconut milk into the egg mixture.)
    • In a large heavy-bottom pot, heat coconut milk, sugar, half and half, and salt over medium high heat.
    • Once mixture is bubbling, reduce heat to medium. Scoop 1/3 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg/cornstarch mixture and continually whisk with a fork so the eggs don't cook. Add another 1/3 cup of the warm milk mixture and mix again. Repeat this process, adding about 1/3 of a cup of the warm milk mixture, then mixing well, until you've added about half of the whole milk mixture to the egg mixture. This should perfectly temper the eggs.
      Once mixture is well mixed, return the entire mixture to the warm pot with the milks and sugar, stirring constantly until well incorporated.
    • Continue whisking over the heat until mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Whisk to make sure no clumps form.
    • One mixture is incorporated and thick, remove from heat. Whisk in butter and vanilla, then add the 3 cups of sweetened coconut shreds.
    • Mix well and then pour into chilled, baked pie crust.
    • Place plastic wrap over the coconut cream to keep a skin from forming, and place in the fridge until completely cold (6 hours or overnight).

    Whipped Cream

    • Before serving, make fresh whipped cream to top the pie.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla.
    • Whip on high for 5-6 minutes until stiff peaks form.
    • Spread whipped cream generously on top of pie.

    Toasted Coconut

    • In a nonstick pan over medium heat, toast coconut until it's lightly browned and fragrant (be sure to keep stirring it and keep a close eye on it - it can burn easily because of the sugar).
    • Remove from heat and top pie with toasted coconut, on top of fresh whipped cream.
    • Slice and enjoy!
    • Store pie in fridge for up to a week.