Coconut Cream Pie

Now that I'm getting a little more comfortable with pie crust, I'm finding that pies really aren't that difficult. Really, the crust is the hard part, once you get that down, it's a piece of cake. (ha ha)

I have always wanted to make a Coconut Cream Pie, and I promised my good friend one, but first I had to practice on my family. This one turned out pretty good! Charlotte, you have a pie coming your way soon ;)

Coconut Cream Pie

one 9 inch pie crust (I use Barefoot Contessa's)

Ina's Perfect Pie Crust
This recipe makes 2 crusts, you can freeze and save the other for another time, or even better, make two pies!
12 Tbs. very cold unsalted butter
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening
6 to 8 Tablespoons ice water

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll crust out on a lightly floured board.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pie crust into a 9 inch pie plate, fold and crimp edges. Prick bottom and sides of pie crust with fork. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, remove plastic wrap. Gently place a piece of parchment paper in pie crust to line, and place pie weights in bottom of pie crust. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, remove parchment paper and pie weights. Place on wire rack to cool.

For the filling:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 cups half and half

4 egg yolks

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan. Whisk together the half and half and egg yolks. Gradually add egg yolk mixture to saucepan while whisking. Bring to a boil over medium heat, while whisking continuously. Boil 1 minute and then remove from heat. Stir in butter, vanilla, and coconut. Place plastic wrap directly on pudding, and let stand for 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and stir pudding. Spoon into pie crust, cover and chill at least 30 minutes.

Whipped Cream Topping

2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place bowl and beaters in the freezer for a few minutes.

Beat heavy cream at high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pie filling. Garnish with toasted coconut if desired.