Coconut Pie with Cream of Coconut
This creamy coconut pie features an intensely rich custard filling made with cream of coconut, all nestled in a flaky pre-baked pie crust and topped with billowy whipped cream and golden toasted coconut flakes.
Equipment
- 9-inch deep-dish pie pan - Essential for holding all the custard filling
- Medium saucepan - For making the custard filling
- Whisk - Essential for a smooth, lump-free custard
- Mixing bowls - Various sizes for separating eggs and mixing ingredients
- Fine-mesh strainer - For straining the custard to ensure silky smoothness
- Electric mixer or stand mixer - Makes whipping cream incredibly easy
- Pie weights or dried beans - For blind-baking the crust
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil - To line the pie crust while blind-baking
- Large skillet - For toasting the coconut garnish
- Rubber spatula - For folding and scraping down the sides
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust - unbaked, homemade or store-bought
For the Coconut Custard Filling
- 133 g granulated sugar - 2/3 cup
- 42 g cornstarch - 1/3 cup
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 425 g cream of coconut - 1 can (15 oz), such as Coco López
- 240 ml whole milk - 1 cup
- 240 ml half-and-half - 1 cup
- 4 large egg yolks - lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 120 g sweetened shredded coconut - 1 1/2 cups, for filling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.5 teaspoon coconut extract - optional, for extra coconut flavor
For the Whipped Cream Topping
- 360 ml heavy whipping cream - 1 1/2 cups, cold
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Garnish
- 40 g sweetened shredded coconut - 1/2 cup, toasted
Instructions
- Blind-bake the pie crust at 375°F (190°C). Prick the bottom with a fork, line with parchment and pie weights, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake another 10-12 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
- Toast the coconut for garnish in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Immediately transfer to a plate to cool.
- Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add cream of coconut, milk, and half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it comes to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute while whisking.
- Temper the egg yolks by slowly pouring 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan and cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in butter, shredded coconut, vanilla, and coconut extract. For silky texture, strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
- Pour the warm custard into the cooled pie shell. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely set.
- Chill a mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer. Whip cold cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes.
- Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled custard. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Blind-bake completely: Ensure the crust is fully golden brown to prevent sogginess from the custard filling.
- Stir constantly: When making the custard, stir without stopping to prevent lumps and scorching on the bottom of the pan.
- Don't skip tempering: Slowly adding hot liquid to the eggs prevents them from scrambling and ensures a smooth custard.
- Strain for silkiness: Even if the custard looks smooth, straining removes any tiny lumps for a truly professional texture.
- Chill before topping: The pie must be completely cold before adding whipped cream to prevent it from melting.
- Keep cream cold: For the best whipped cream, chill your bowl, beaters, and cream thoroughly before whipping.
- Make ahead: Prepare the pie (without whipped cream) up to 2 days ahead. Add toppings within 2-3 hours of serving.
- Coconut milk substitution: You can substitute coconut milk, but increase sugar by 1/3 cup and cornstarch by 1 tablespoon to compensate for the reduced sweetness and thickness.
- Eggless option: Omit yolks and increase cornstarch to 1/2 cup total for a creamy, egg-free version.
- Storage: Cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freeze the custard filling (without whipped cream) for up to 2 months.