Sweet, summery and rich with coconut and cream. This easy coconut cream pie is made using a ready made pastry case and feeds a crowd.
I grew up in a large family in Canada – I’m the youngest of 6! Every family gathering would mean a lot of food on offer and always a choice of desserts. More often than not those desserts included sweet pies. My mother was known for making the best pies in town. During a family get together she always made sure that everyone’s favourite pie was on offer. With 6 siblings were didn’t make it easy as everyone had a different favourite. Some wanted lemon meringue pie, some wanted apple pie, others butterscotch. My favourite was coconut cream pie. A light flaky homemade pasty base, it was filled with creamy coconut custard and topped with whipped cream.
We’ve taken a shortcut in this one using a ready made sweet shortcrust pastry case, but feel free to make your own. In Canada you can easily find packets of quick pie fillings that just need to be mixed with milk before setting in the pastry case. As this is one of my favourite desserts and I can’t readily find those packets here, I have made a custard filling and tweaked it for measurements and ingredients that are available in the UK. A great make ahead dessert to take along to summer BBQ’s or gatherings with friends. I hope you enjoy as much as I do.
If you like this dessert then why not try our Apple Pie, our Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie or our Bread & Butter Pudding, great desserts that can feed a crowd.
coconut cream pie
Ingredients
- 1.5 C hot milk - scald slightly in a pan
- 4 Tbsp plain flour
- 1/3 C milk
- 1/2 C caster sugar
- 1/4 Tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 Tsp vanilla
- 1 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Scald milk and then pour into a glass bowl which has been placed over a simmering pan of water. Mix the flour and 1/3 cup of milk into a thick paste and then stir back into the remaining scalded milk, stirring continuously until thickened. Allow to cook at least 10 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl mix the egg yolks with sugar and salt. Add a few teaspoons of the hot mixture to the egg yolk mix gradually to allow the eggs to come up to temperature without cooking them. Then add the egg mixture to the milk mixture on the hob. Continue to cook a further 2 minutes. Add the butter, vanilla and coconut. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Pour into an already prepared pastry case (which has been blind baked). Once completely cooled top with either a merengue mixture or whipped cream (as shown in the photo). The choice is entirely yours depending on time and which you prefer.
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