This recipe produces an old-fashioned coconut custard pie. The finished pie has a creamy custard filling loaded with coconut and has a brulee-type crunch on the top.
This Coconut Custard pie is simple to make. All you need is a bowl, a whisk and a short list of ingredients. The pie is so easy to make it is the ideal recipe to make with children.
Although coconut custard pies are often associated with the holidays it is a wonderful pie to serve throughout the year.
Ingredients Needed for the Coconut Custard Pie:
· Eggs: bring your eggs to room temperature before starting the coconut pie filling. The eggs will incorporate into the filling better. This ensures less chance of separating during mixing and cooking.
· Coconut: sweetened, shredded coconut is readily available in most supermarkets. Do not use coconut flakes as the filling will not be as creamy. Use the coconut in the raw form as purchased in the bag. Shredded coconut is mixed into the filling. Additionally, it is sprinkled over the pie prior to baking which will result in a crunchy top – adding to the texture of the dessert.
· Whole milk: bring the milk to room temperature before making the Coconut Custard Pie. Again, this will ensure the custard is properly mixed. Full-fat coconut milk may also be used.
· Granulated Sugar: do not use brown sugar for the custard filling. Use fine, granulated white sugar.
· Butter: use unsalted butter for this recipe. The butter should be melted and slightly cooled before starting the custard filling.
· Nutmeg: a dash of nutmeg is optional. The nutmeg will add a holiday flavour to the pie which is perfect for Christmas desserts.
· All-purpose flour: if baking for individuals with gluten intolerance, use gluten-free flour.
· 9” Pie crust: a soft-cookie type pie crust works well for this egg custard pie. The pie crust should be chilled before baking to lessen the chances of shrinkage or burning. The pie crust does not need to be par-baked prior to adding the filling. Other options for the pie crust are:
o Use a flaky buttery pie crust (a store-bought crust is fine to use).
o A graham cracker crust complements the coconut custard filling.
o The pie may also be baked without a crust. This is an ideal option when baking for individuals with gluten intolerance.
How to Serve Coconut Custard Pie:
A 9” pie will provide ten generously sized portions. After the pie has cooled, score the top of the pie for slices. Then, using a sharp knife cut each piece and using a pie spatula, remove the slices for plating.
Consider the following for plating the pie:
· Drizzle the pie with mango sauce or chocolate sauce
· Serve with lemon shortbread cookie
· Sprinkle coconut tuile cookie crumbles over the top of the pie.
FAQs:
Do I need to keep the Coconut Crusted pie in the refrigerator? Can I freeze the pie?
- After cooling, the pie should be kept in the refrigerator. It may be stored uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Do not freeze a custard pie. The pie crust and filling will become soggy when defrosting.
Can I make the Coconut Pie gluten-free?
- Yes! Use gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour in the recipe.
Can I make the coconut pie dairy-free?
- Yes. Replace the milk in the recipe with full-fat coconut milk. Replace the butter in the recipe with a vegan butter substitute.
Coconut Custard Pie Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 nine-inch pie crust
- 2 Large Eggs
- 4 Ounces Unsalted Butter, melted
- 7 Ounces Granulated Sugar (1 Cup)
- 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- ¾ Cup Whole Milk, room temperature
- 1 ½ Cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut (for pie filling) and 3 Tablespoons for sprinkling over the pie prior to baking
Steps:
- Move a rack to the centre of the oven. Heat oven to 350°
- Add eggs and sugar. Whisk well.
- Add melted butter. Whisk well.
- Add flour and nutmeg. Whisk well.
- Add room-temperature milk. Whisk well.
- Stir in sweetened coconut flakes.
- Pour filling into a 9″ pie crust.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of coconut flakes over the top of the pie.
- Place the pie on the centre rack of the oven. Bake for 50 minutes. The centre of the filling will still be jiggly.
- Remove the pie from the oven. Place on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before placing in the refrigerator.
