This pie is creamy and light and has the taste of chocolate macaroons. It is lighter than most coconut cream pies because it is made with milk not cream. If you love chocolate and coconut this recipe is for you!
For the custard:
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 cups full fat milk ( I used 3.8 percent M.F. organic whole milk)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the crust:
3/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs, 36 Mr. Christie chocolate cookie wafers (one 200 gram package)
For the Garnish:
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup toasted sweetened coconut flakes
chocolate sauce for drizzling
METHOD:
CHOCOLATE CRUST:
Preheat oven to 375F. You will need a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removal bottom.
In a food processor, process the cookies until they are fine evenly-sized crumbs. With the machine running, drizzle in the melted butter until incorporated.
Pat the mixture evenly into the fluted tart pan. Be sure to pat evenly up the sides of the pan too. Bake for 12 minutes at 375F. Let the crust cool completely.
CUSTARD:
In a large saucepan, heat milk with coconut over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
In a medium sized bowl, beat whole eggs, egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy about 2 minutes. You need to 'temper' this egg mixture. This is done by whisking in 1/2 cup of the hot milk/coconut liquid into the egg mixture. (See TIPS section for detailed directions.) Once the eggs are tempered, add them to the remainder of the hot milk/coconut mixture, bring this entire mixture back to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir regularly for about 10 minutes. Custard is ready when it has thickened.
Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Transfer to a glass bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of custard and refrigerate to cool. Then scoop filling onto crust and smooth top with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours.
GARNISH:Preheat oven to 300 F. Toast coconut on a baking sheet for about 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully, so that it doesn't burn.
Whip cream until stiff peaks form and put into a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe rosettes onto edge of pie and a large one in the center. Sprinkle cooled toasted coconut over top.
Drizzle chocolate sauce over entire pie as shown.
TIPS:
TEMPERING EGGS:
Tempering eggs is a very important step when making, custards and puddings. This is how you avoid scrambling eggs, and ensure a very creamy and smooth custard.
Eggs are tempered when a small amount of a hot liquid is carefully streamed and whisked in to them. This brings the eggs to the right temperature to avoid scrambling.
Method:
Break eggs into a bowl. While continuously beating with a whisk, slowly add a small amount (usually about 1/2 cup) of the hot liquid to the beaten eggs. Now the eggs are ready to whisk BACK into the remainder milk mixture. To do this, you follow the same technique. Off heat, you add the tempered eggs to your milk mixture while continuously whisking. Then you are ready to continue with the rest of recipe directions.
