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Best Coconut Cream Pie

by Tasting Table Staff
dessert
Yield: 9 servingsPrep: Prep: 45 minutesCook: Cook: 1 hourTotal: Total: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Source: https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/coconut-cream-pie-recipe-dahlia-seattle

Ingredients

You have 2 of 19
protein
  • ○2large eggs
dairy
  • ○1 cupmilk
  • ✓2 1/2 cupsheavy cream(chilled)
  • ○8 tablespoonsunsalted butter(cold, diced)
  • ○4 tablespoonsunsalted butter(room-temperature)
grain
  • ○1 cupall-purpose flour(plus extra for rolling)
  • ○3 tablespoonsall-purpose flour
pantry staple
  • ○1/4 teaspoonkosher salt
  • ○1/3 cupsugar
  • ○2 teaspoonsgranulated sugar
  • ○1/2 cupsugar
other
  • ○white chocolate((about 4 to 6 ounces, to make 2 ounces of curls))
  • ○1/2 cupshredded sweetened coconut
  • ○1/3 cupice-cold water(or more as needed)
  • ✓1 cupcoconut milk(canned, unsweetened, stirred)
  • ○2 cupsshredded sweetened coconut
  • ○1vanilla bean(split in half lengthwise)
  • ○1 teaspoonpure vanilla extract
  • ○2 ouncesunsweetened chip or large-shred coconut((about 1½ cups), or substitute sweetened shredded coconut)

Instructions

  1. Make the coconut pastry crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, coconut, diced butter, sugar and salt. Pulse to form coarse crumbs. Gradually add the water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing each time. Use only as much water as needed for the dough to hold together when gently pressed between your fingers. Don't work the dough with your hands; just test to see if it is holding. (The dough will not form a ball or even clump together in the processor—it will still be quite loose.)
  2. Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and dump the coconut dough onto it. Pull the plastic wrap around the dough forcing it into a rough flattened round with the pressure of the plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes to an hour before rolling.
  3. To roll the dough, unwrap the round of coconut dough and put it on a lightly floured board. Flour the rolling pin and your hands. Roll the dough out into a circle about ⅛ inch thick. Occasionally lift the dough with a board scraper to check that it is not sticking and add more flour if it seems like it's about to stick. Trim to a 12-to-13-inch circle.
  4. Transfer the rolled dough to a 9-inch pie pan. Ease the dough loosely and gently into the pan. You don't want to stretch the dough at this point, because it will shrink when it is baked. Trim any excess dough to a 1-to-1½-inch overhang. Turn the dough under along the rim of the pie pan and use your fingers and thumb to flute the edge. Chill the unbaked pie shell for at least 15 to 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
  5. Preheat the oven to 400°. Place a piece of parchment in the pie shell, with sides overhanging the pan, and fill with dried beans. (This step prevents the bottom of the shell from puffing up during baking.) Bake the piecrust for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry rim is golden. Remove the pie pan from the oven. Remove the paper and beans and return the piecrust to the oven. Bake for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until bottom of the crust has golden-brown patches. Remove from the oven and allow the pie shell to cool completely.
  6. Make the coconut pastry cream: Combine the milk, coconut milk and shredded coconut in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Use a paring knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both the scrapings and the pod to the milk mixture. Place the saucepan on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture almost comes to a boil.

My notes

This recipe is from Tom Douglas's Dahlia Bakery in Seattle.