Variation: Banana Cream Chocolate Ganache Pie
Coconut Cream Pie and photo by kake © Sarah Phillips
Coconut Cream Pie is on everyone's dream pie list. This one starts off with a chocolate ganache-lined pastry shell, filled with mounds of coconut pastry cream, and is topped with whipped cream and a coconut topping. If you are a cream pie lover, also check out my Banana Cream Chocolate Ganache Pie. OMG is all I have to say!
PIE RECIPE HELP
Kake, Premium Member, Says: “I made three coconut cream pies.
The coconut cream is not overly sweet but just right sweetness with coconut flakes and the crust was very flaky.
I am so happy that people enjoyed my pies.
Thanks to you all advice, I have learned how to make coconut cream pie.
Thank you….My friend who is Coconut cream pie lover said 'this is the best coconut cream pie I have ever had!' Make me cry..even a lady who doesn't like coconut eat all! WOW!
I used Blind bake a pie crust by Kelly and your coconut cream pie recipe.
Of course! Kelly & Sarah's golden recipe!! There is no reason to fail, right?”
INGREDIENTS
1 recipe How to Roll, Flute, and Prebake Pie Crust using Kelly's Food Processor Pie Crust for a 9-inch standard or 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie; bake and cool crust
Simple Chocolate Ganache:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped; weigh and then chop into 1/4-inch evenly sized pieces
SARAH SAYS: You can use 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Coconut Pastry Cream:
2 cups whole or 2% milk
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut; canned coconut is sweetened
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into bits
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, optional
Whipped Cream Topping:
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy (whipping) cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract, optional
generous pinch salt
Coconut Sprinkles:
2/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
STEP I: MAKE THE SIMPLE CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND COAT THE PREBAKED PIE CRUST
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring heavy cream to a boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Pour chocolate into the hot cream. Let sit for 60 seconds before stirring.
2. Stir, IN ONE DIRECTION, to create a smooth ganache emulsion.
3. Cool Ganache: Refrigerate ganache for 15 minutes, stir well in the same direction as before. Chill another 15 minutes and stir again in the same direction as before or until the ganache has thickened and cooled, but has still remained pourable.
SARAH SAYS: If the ganache has stiffened too much, GENTLY reheat, stirring very slowly, until JUST warmed.
4. After making, IMMEDIATELY spread CHOCOLATE GANACHE into cooled, prebaked pie shell, to make a layer about 1/4-inch thick, taking care not to crush the crust.
Spread the ganache up the sides of the crust, too.
SARAH SAYS: This creates a moisture barrier.
5. Chill the pie crust shell until the ganache has set.
STEP II: MAKE THE COCONUT PASTRY CREAM
1. Bring the milk and coconut to a boil in a medium size heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisking constantly to make sure it won't burn. Make sure you get into the edges of the pan.
Strain the milk through a fine mesh strainer and discard the coconut.
SARAH SAYS: Some baker's skip this step of straining out the coconut from the milk.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well-blended and thickened.
Whisking constantly so the egg yolks won't cook, drizzle in 1/4 cup of the hot milk. Repeat with the remainder of the milk, adding it in a steady stream.
3. Place the pan over medium heat, and while whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Adjust the heat, if necessary so the mixture won't burn.
Allow the pastry cream to boil for 1 to 2 minutes before removing. Take care to reach the corners of the pan with the whisk.
SARAH SAYS: Cornstarch based creams must boil before they can set, taking care not to overcook them.
4. Let the pastry cream sit for five minutes before stirring in the butter chunks, and then, the vanilla and coconut extracts.
Stir until the pastry cream is smooth and all of the butter is incorporated.
5. Place the pan with the pastry cream, in a large bowl filled with ice cubes and water and stir occasionally until the cream is cold, about 10 minutes.
6. Scoop the pastry cream into a medium size bowl, taking care not to scrape the bottom and side of the pan. If the cream is lumpy or has bits of cooked egg whites, alternately strain the cream into the bowl pushing it through a fine mesh strainer with a rubber spatula.
7. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap pressed on the surface of the cream so a film will not form on its surface and place momentarily in the refrigerator to chill.
STORAGE
Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the custard and refrigerate until chilled. The pastry cream can be made up to 3 days in advance. Stir well before using.
STEP III: PREPARE THE WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING AND COCONUT SPRINKLES
Whipped Cream Topping:
1. In a mixing bowl, add the cream.
2. Using a hand-held electric or stand mixer, beat on low-speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Slowly add in the sugar at the side of the bowl.
3. Add in the vanilla and coconut extracts and the salt.
4. Then, increase the speed to medium and then to high. Move the beaters up and down and around the side of the bowl while whipping if using a hand-held mixer.
With a rubber spatula, scrape down the side of the bowl often.
5. Stop whipping when the cream has doubled in volume, is smooth, thick and is billowy when the beaters are raised. In this picture I have scraped together the whipped cream into the center of the bowl.
Coconut Sprinkles:
Toast coconut in heavy small skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Cool completely.
SERVE AND STORAGE
Serve immediately – whipped cream is best made the day of use. If storing, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 to 36 hours. If the cream separates in the refrigerator, whisk the cream together again with a large wire balloon whisk until it has come back together (do not rebeat with an electric mixer).
For longer storage, whipped cream can be frozen by teaspoonful on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. When frozen, remove to a resealable plastic bag and place back in the freezer.
STEP IV: ASSEMBLE THE PIE
Fill with pastry cream:
1. Take the ganache-covered pie crust from the refrigerator, as well as the Coconut Pastry Cream. Stir the pastry cream vigorously with a whisk before using.
2. Spread the pastry cream over the chocolate ganache.
SARAH SAYS: Set aside or press a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pastry cream and chill until ready to serve. DO NOT store for more than an hour or two. THE PIE IS MEANT TO BE SERVED IMMEDIATELY, OTHERWISE IT WILL START TO WEEP WATER.
Cover filled pie with whipped cream. Garnish with coconut sprinkles and serve:
1. Mound the whipped cream over the filled pie.
3. Sprinkle the pie with the Coconut Sprinkles.
4. Serve the pie immediately! Dive in!
STORAGE
Store all cream pies in the refrigerator. They tend to leach water during storage and are best stored for a day!
VARIATION
Banana Cream Chocolate Ganache Pie
