Perfect Coconut Cream Pie

I must admit that pies are not on my everyday to-do list. It almost feels as if there are too many steps involved in making pies, so I just skim over them in recipe books and choose another dessert or treat to make instead. Although, on the occasions that I do pop out a pie, I feel so proud of myself and my pie. They usually look exquisite, come out perfectly and require far less effort than I thought beforehand. This coconut cream pie is one of my new favourite desserts to make. It ticks all of the boxes and everyone always loves it, whether they are coconut lovers or not.

Think of these 4 glorious layers of goodness: a crisp, buttery base, creamy coconut custard filling, cloud like whipped cream and lastly a layer of perfectly roasted crunchy coconut flakes. The flavours of the coconut and custard merge into perfection on your palate, leaving you wanting more and more of this enticingly dreamy dessert. I also love how it is not overly-sweet and has a true coconut flavour from the coconut milk.. no fake stuff here!

First things first, you will need to make the pastry base of the pie. I would highly recommend using a loose bottom pie dish as it is much easier to get the pie out of, and it looks fancy having a pie with perfect pastry holding it together. If you do not have a loose bottom pie dish, not to worry, you can use any other tin or dish (just make sure that it is about 23cm wide and 4cm high). You need flour, softened butter, castor sugar and an egg.

Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the flour and butter until crumb-like in consistency. Add the sugar and then the egg, mixing until it is all incorporated. You can also use your fingertips to rub the ingredients together.

Once the dough has formed, place it onto a floured work surface and knead it gently to bring it together (do not overwork this lovely dough). Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 20-30 mins.

Once the dough has rested in the fridge, roll it out on a lightly floured surface (to about 5mm thickness). Carefully lay the pastry over the tin and press it into the base and up the sides. Don’t worry if the pastry breaks or crumbles, just fill in the gaps and press it all together so that there are no holes. Cut the overhanging pastry off and prick the base with a fork. Place your base back in the fridge to rest for another 20-30 minutes. Once the pastry has rested, cover it with baking paper and fill it with baking beans or dry rice. Blind bake it for 12 minutes in a preheated oven of 170 C. Carefully remove the beans and the paper and bake the pastry for another 15 minutes, until golden in colour. Set aside to cool. Well done that’s your pastry (the hardest part) done and dusted!

While the pastry is baking, you can make the filling. Place the egg yolks and vanilla in a bowl and whisk them until combined and the yolks are all broken.

In a saucepan, mix the sugar, cornflour and salt together. Add 90ml of the coconut milk to it and whisk to form a smooth paste. Pour the remaining coconut milk and full cream milk into the mixture and stir to combine. Place the pan over a low heat and bring the mixture to the boil, whisking constantly. As soon it starts to thicken, take 3 Tablespoons of the hot milk mixture and stir it into the egg yolks, then pour the egg yolk mixture into the pan. Stir this mixture continuously, until the mixture is thick and looks like custard.

Pour the coconut custard mixture into the cooled base and cover it with cling film. Covering it immediately prevents a skin from forming over the custard. Allow the filling to cool to room temperature and then place it in the fridge for atleast 1 hour.

Whisk the cream, vanilla and sieved icing sugar until soft peaks form. Spoon this onto the cooled (the coconut custard filling must be completely cool) pie and then sprinkle it with gorgeously roasted coconut flakes. Now you can remove it from the pie tin (if you used a loose bottom pie tin) and place on a pretty serving plate. Slice and enjoy every single mouthful, you deserve it!

Heres the handy recipe for you:

Coconut Cream Pie

Makes one 23cm pie, serves 10

(adapted from the Hummingbird Bakery recipe from Cake Days recipe book)

Pastry:

225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

110g butter, softened

80g castor sugar

1 large egg

Filling:

1 large egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla essence

140g castor sugar

35g cornflour

1/4 tsp salt

240ml coconut milk

350ml full cream milk

Topping:

350ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 Tbsp icing sugar

3 Tbsp coconut flakes, roasted

To make the pastry, use an electric mixer with the paddle atachment to slowly mix the flour and butter together until crumb-like consistency. Add the sugar and then the egg, mixing gently to incorporate (you can do this by hand using your fingertips to rub the ingredients together). When a dough forms, remove it from the bowl and knead lightly on a floured work surface to bring it together. Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge to rest for 20-30 mins.

Once the dough has rested in the fridge, roll it out on a lightly floured surface (to about 5mm thickness). Carefully lay the pastry over the 23 cm tin and press it into the base and up the sides. Don’t worry if the pastry breaks or crumbles, just fill in the gaps and press it all together so that there are no holes. Cut the overhanging pastry off and prick the base with a fork. Place your base back in the fridge to rest for another 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 170 C. Once the pastry has rested, cover it with baking paper and fill it with baking beans or dry rice. Blind bake it for 12 minutes in a preheated. Carefully remove the beans and the paper and bake the pastry for another 15 minutes, until golden in colour. Set aside to cool. Well done that’s your pastry (the hardest part) done and dusted!

While the pastry is baking, you can make the filling. Place the egg yolks and vanilla in a bowl and whisk them until combined and the yolks are all broken. In a saucepan, mix the sugar, cornflour and salt together. Add 90ml of the coconut milk to it and whisk to form a smooth paste. Pour the remaining coconut milk and full cream milk into the mixture and stir to combine.

Place the pan over a low heat and bring the mixture to the boil, whisking constantly. As soon it starts to thicken, take 3 Tablespoons of the hot milk mixture and stir it into the egg yolks, then pour the egg yolk mixture into the pan. Stir this mixture continuously, until the mixture is thick and looks like custard.

Pour the coconut custard mixture into the cooled base and cover it with cling film. Covering it immediately prevents a skin from forming over the custard. Allow the filling to cool to room temperature and then place it in the fridge for atleast 1 hour.

Whisk the cream, vanilla and sieved icing sugar until soft peaks form. Spoon this onto the cooled (the coconut custard filling must be completely cool) pie and then sprinkle it with gorgeously roasted coconut flakes. Now you can remove it from the pie tin (if you used a loose bottom pie tin) and place on a pretty serving plate.

We hope you enjoy this recipe! It really is a winner xx