Triple Coconut Creme Pie | Vanilla And Bean (2024)

For The Crust:

• ▢ 4 Tbs Cold Whole Milk + 1 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar 52 g, 4 g
• ▢ 1 C + 2 Tbs All Purpose Flour 190 g
• ▢ 1/2 C Unsweetened Shredded Coconut 44 g
• ▢ 1 Tbs Granulated Sugar 10 g
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Sea Salt 2 g
• ▢ 1/2 C Unsalted Butter cubed in 1/2" cubes, placed in freezer for 20 minutes prior to using (1 Stick, 106 g)

For the Coconut Pastry Creme:

• ▢ 2 C Whole Milk 178 g
• ▢ 1/2 C + 2 Tbs Granulated Sugar divided (146 g)
• ▢ 2 C Unsweetened Shredded Coconut 178 g
• ▢ 1 in Vanilla Bean split half lengthwise and beans scraped
• ▢ 2 Large Organic Whole Eggs
• ▢ 2 Tbs All Purpose Flour 26 g
• ▢ 1/4 C Unsalted Butter room temperature, 1/4" cubes (60 g), 1/2 Stick

For the Whipped Creme:

• ▢ 2 C Heavy Creme chilled (468 g), 16 oz
• ▢ 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste 5 g
• ▢ 1/4 C Powdered Sugar 36 g

For Garnish:

• ▢ 3/4 C Large Flake Unsweetened Coconut 365 g
• ▢ 1/3 C White Chocolate Cuverture 60 g

For the Crust:

• In a small bowl, whisk the milk and apple cider vinegar together then set aside.

• In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, shredded coconut, sugar, sea salt, and cold butter. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is thoroughly covered in the flour mixture and are about the size of peas. Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the milk mixture. Begin gently incorporating the flour mixture into the milk mixture. It will be shaggy and feel dry. You're doing it right. Dump the loose mixture out onto lightly floured work surface. Use a bench scraper to gently fold and press the dough over and onto itself. It will not be sticking together very much at this point. Fold a few more times, then pat out into a 1/2" round disk. Wrap tightly, pressing the dough further into shape if needed and place in fridge for at least one hour, or overnight.

Rolling the Dough and Baking the Crust (see note):

• On a lightly flouered work surface, begin rolling out the dough to a 12-13" circle. Fit into a 9" pie plate, trimming excess, if any, to a 2" overhang. The dough should be about 1/8" thick. Turn dough under along rim of the pie dish and flute edges. Dock the bottom of the crust by pricking it 8-10 times with a fork. Chill at least one hour before baking.

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line the pie crust with parchment, then fill it with either pie weights or beans. Bake the dough for 30 minutes on the middle oven rack. Remove the pie weights or beans and parchment and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

• Remove from oven and cool completely before assembling the pie.

Make the Pastry Creme:

• Combine milk, 1/2 the sugar, coconut, and scraped-out vanilla bean and seeds into a medium saucepan. Cook on medium high stirring occasionally until little bubbles start appearing around the edges of the milk, after stirring.

• In a spouted large bowl or 4 C measuring cup, vigorously whisk the eggs, last 1/2 of sugar and flour until well combined. Once the milk mixture is ready, slowly pour about one cup of the the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking the entire time. Then add the egg mixture into the saucepan with the milk/coconut mixture while whisking. Whisk over medium high heat until the pastry cream thickens and begins to bubble. Keep whisking until the mixture is very thick and has reached 212F, 4-5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

• Pour the pastry creme into a stand mixing bowl with a paddle attachment. Remove the vanilla bean (rinse it well, dry completely and add it to your sugar bowl). Mix on low speed for 15 minutes. While mixing, add the butter, one cube at a time. This will cool the pastry cream and make it silky smooth! *If a mixer is unavailable, mixing by hand and incorporating the butter will work fine.

• When the pastry creme has reached room temperature, place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface and wrap tightly. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days, if needed.

For the Whipped Creme:

• Add the heavy creme and vanilla bean paste to mixing bowl of stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl to whip by hand. Begin to whip on medium speed. As soon as it starts to thicken, sift in the powdered sugar. Continue whipping until the creme stands up on its own.

For Garnish:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Toast coconut until it's golden, about 7-8 minutes, stirring once or twice.

• For the white chocolate, if using a bar of white chocolate, use a vegetable peeler to make curls. If using wafers or chips, rough-chop the white chocolate.

To Assemble:

• In the baked and cooled pie shell, spread all the pastry creme over the crust. Using an offset spatula, smooth the pastry creme.

• The whipped creme can be pipped or piled, your choice. If piping, take about 1 cup of the whipped creme and make a mound, smoothing it out so that it is higher in the center (like a pitcher's mound). Using a large star tip, fill a piping bag with the remaining whipped cream and pipe closed circles around the outer edges, finally working all the way to the center of the pie.

• Garnish with coconut and white chocolate.

For Service:

• Allow the pie to set out for about 15 minutes before service.

• Cut pie into 6-8 wedges, then garnish with any remaining coconut and chocolate.

*The crust is not a typical flaky crust due to the inclusion of coconut in the pastry. It's more of a cross between shortbread and pie.

When storing leftover pie in the refrigerator, gently cover the pie with plastic wrap making sure the plastic is fully touching the surface of exposed pastry cream.

Adapted from Cake Spy.