Coconut Cream Pie
In the late 90's, I worked at "Dahlia Lounge" in Seattle. There were 3 things that flew out of the kitchen almost faster than we could make them: potstickers, crab cakes and ... coconut cream pie.
The "plating" in the final picture was almost a spoof of the same coconut cream pie that would get served out of that fine dining establishment in the late 90's. I suspect if I were to return today, I'd still be able to order this gem of coco-nutty goodness.
I have to say that I'm really proud of this sugar free/gluten free recipe. Most coconut cream pies are filled with custard, but a custard which is "held firm" with either flour or corn starch. I also had the daunting task of creating an "alterna-shell", without flour. I was incredibly nervous that it wouldn't work, or that the custard filling wouldn't hold. I was concerned that the crust would just disintegrate. Oh, how I worried!
My concerns were all completely unfounded.
The end result of this challenge? This sweet fluffy gem was pure coconut cream pie!
Sludge Note: When making this, the custard took on a very slightly "slimy" viscosity, due to the xanthan gum. I was incredibly nervous that this pie would turn out like a big bowl of ecto-plasm. By the time this thing chilled out, firmed up and got all swirled in with the texture of the coconut and shells ... the slime could not be detected! I really hesitated to mention this. I did so because I wanted to point out that the custard filling may take on a bit of a "slime in a can" kind of look. Fret not!
The "plating" in the final picture was almost a spoof of the same coconut cream pie that would get served out of that fine dining establishment in the late 90's. I suspect if I were to return today, I'd still be able to order this gem of coco-nutty goodness.
I have to say that I'm really proud of this sugar free/gluten free recipe. Most coconut cream pies are filled with custard, but a custard which is "held firm" with either flour or corn starch. I also had the daunting task of creating an "alterna-shell", without flour. I was incredibly nervous that it wouldn't work, or that the custard filling wouldn't hold. I was concerned that the crust would just disintegrate. Oh, how I worried!
My concerns were all completely unfounded.
The end result of this challenge? This sweet fluffy gem was pure coconut cream pie!
Sludge Note: When making this, the custard took on a very slightly "slimy" viscosity, due to the xanthan gum. I was incredibly nervous that this pie would turn out like a big bowl of ecto-plasm. By the time this thing chilled out, firmed up and got all swirled in with the texture of the coconut and shells ... the slime could not be detected! I really hesitated to mention this. I did so because I wanted to point out that the custard filling may take on a bit of a "slime in a can" kind of look. Fret not!
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time8 hrs
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 648.12125kcal
Ingredients
Coconut Crust
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh whole butter melted
- 1 dash salt
Coconut Custard Filling
- 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup cream heavy whipping
- 1/4 cup 'Swerve' or other sugar replacement
- 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 dash salt
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp coconut extract (optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut shredded
Toppings
- 4 cups sugar free whipped cream
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flaked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- Mix the flour, coconut and salt with the melted butter.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Really press it in there and push it up the sides of the pan. It should be a nice compact crust, covering the entire base and sides of the pan.
- Bake for about 12 minutes (or until nice and toasty brown). Set a timer. This one goes from white to burnt quickly, once it starts to brown.
- When it's toasted, remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool.
- Set up a wide mouthed pot with boiling water (or the base for a double boiler). I don't have a double boiler, so I'm going to place a bowl over the water. This will serve as the base for a double boiler.
- In a separate saucepan, bring your coconut milk and cream up to the lowest possible simmer (has a tendency to want to boil over and some coconut milks are fragile and want to separate ... you really just want this to be hot).
- Combine your sweetener and salt with your xanthan gum. Mix them together, so that the xanthan is evenly distributed throughout the sugar equivalent (helps to prevent clumping ... if you're using a liquid sweetener, combine your xanthan with the 1 cup of shredded coconut and add it with the sweetener in a few steps, rather than at the end).
- Place your egg yolks and optional coconut extract into a non-reactive metal bowl with a diameter just a bit wider than the mouth of the pot of boiling water (or just use the top of the double boiler).
- Whisk your egg yolks, until they have a lemony color.
- Add a little bit of the hot liquid into the egg yolks, while whisking. This will "temper" the eggs. Keep whisking, while adding more of the hot liquid, adding a little more and a little faster, each moment. You want to add and whisk, to incorporate the hot liquid, without creating scrambled eggs.
- Once all the liquid has been incorporated, add your sweetener/xanthan mix, and whisk it in.
- Place your bowl over the mouth of the boiling water and continue to whisk. Make sure you whisk well and around the edges of the bowl, or else you'll develop cooked/scrambled eggs around the edge of the bowl. If the bowl gets too hot, remove it from the heat for a moment, and keep whisking. You can alternate the location of the bowl, slowly raising the heat of the egg mixture to about 165 F. While always whisking, you can add to the top of the pot, and remove, add back and remove.
- Once the mixture reaches about 165 F, has no frothy bubbles and is noticeably thick, you can add the cup of shredded coconut. Mix this evenly into the custard.
- Remove from the heat and pour the custard into the pie crust.
- Refrigerate the pie crust for about 8 hours, or until firm.
- Once the pie is firm, top it with whipped cream and toasted coconut.
- Slice and serve!
Nutrition
Serving: 8g | Calories: 648.12125kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.89625g | Protein: 9.84625g | Fat: 65.85125g | Fiber: 5.8125g