Featured Recipe
Coconut Cream Pie Twist
By Kate
"
Flaky crust with a hint of almond flour. Coconut custard thickened with arrowroot instead of cornstarch. Grated coconut toasted with cinnamon. Whipped topping spiked with lime zest. Chilled for set and flavor meld. Eight servings.
"
Prep:
45 min
Cook:
45 min
Total:
Serves:
8 servings
dessert
pie
coconut
twist
cream pie
Introduction
No fuss pie dough with almond flour for a tender crumb. Arrowroot stands in for cornstarch. Cleaner, more translucent fill, plus a touch different flavor. Coconut milk and milk mix. Lime juice brightens the custard. Toasted coconut with cinnamon dust adds warmth and crunch on top. Whipped cream thickened late in process, scented with vanilla. Little tweaks to lift a classic dessert. Chilled, set, ready to slice. Serve slightly cold, not freezing. The overhang crust is crimped to strengthen edges for smooth cutting. Small swap in flours, starch, and an aromatic twist in the garnish. Keep the filling silky, the crust crisp, the topping light but flavorful. A straightforward cream pie but with sharp individuality and textures layered in.
Ingredients
Crust
- 140 g (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 50 g (1/3 cup) almond flour
- 3 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
- 110 g (1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, diced
- 40 ml (2 1/2 tbsp) ice water
- 90 g (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp) sugar
- 20 g (2 1/2 tbsp) arrowroot powder
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1 can 398 ml (14 oz) coconut milk
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) whole milk
- 100 g (3/4 cup) sweetened shredded coconut
- 5 ml (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract
- 5 ml (1 tsp) lime juice
- 400 ml (1 2/3 cups) heavy cream 35%
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) powdered sugar
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 10 g (2 tbsp) shredded coconut
Coconut Filling
Topping
About the ingredients
Substitute almond flour for 25% of the all-purpose flour in the crust to add moistness and a faint nuttiness without using tree nuts like walnuts or pecans. Arrowroot is a good alternative to cornstarch, better clarity and texture with custards. Use canned coconut milk full fat for richness. The lime juice cuts the sweetness and adds brightness to the filling. Toast the coconut with cinnamon just before assembling to keep it crunchy. Cool the crust completely before filling to avoid sogginess. Powdered sugar whips into cream more evenly than granulated. Finish with a clean spread of cream, not piped, to showcase the garnishes and texture contrast.
Method
Crust
- 1 Mix all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor. Add butter. Pulse until pea-sized crumbs appear. Add cold water a bit at a time until dough barely comes together. Form into a disc. Wrap. Chill 30 minutes.
- 2 On floured surface, roll dough to about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Press into a 23 cm (9-inch) glass tart pan. Leave about 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) overhang. Crimp edges with fingers. Refrigerate 35 minutes.
- 3 Preheat oven to 185°C (365°F). Prick crust with fork. Line with foil, fill with ceramic baking beads or dried beans. Bake 16 minutes. Remove beads and foil. Bake 12 more minutes until light golden. Cool completely on rack.
- 4 Whisk sugar and arrowroot in a medium saucepan. Add egg yolks and whole egg. Mix well. Pour in coconut milk, regular milk, 90 g shredded coconut, vanilla, and lime juice. Heat over medium. Stir constantly with whisk, scraping bottom and sides, until thick and bubbling momentarily. About 9-11 minutes.
- 5 Remove from heat. Pour filling into cooled crust. Cover surface tightly with plastic wrap to prevent skin. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate at least 3 1/2 hours or until fully set.
- 6 In a small dry skillet, toast remaining shredded coconut with cinnamon over medium heat, stirring often, 2-3 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
- 7 Using electric mixer, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- 8 Spread whipped cream evenly over custard, leaving small border of filling visible at edge.
- 9 Sprinkle toasted cinnamon coconut over whipped topping. Chill briefly if desired before serving.
Coconut Filling
Topping
Technique Tips
Chill dough at least half an hour to relax gluten, keep butter firm for flaky crust. Pricking dough before blind baking prevents bubbles. Use ceramic beads or dried beans to weigh crust down during blind baking for crisp edges. Let filling thicken fully on medium heat with constant stirring to avoid lumps or scorching. Cover custard surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation while cooling. Toast coconut in a dry skillet, watching closely to avoid burning. Whip cream to stiff peaks but don’t overbeat or it will turn grainy. Spread topping in one even layer, leaving a border to show custard color. Assemble several hours before serving so flavors marry but avoid freezing pie—lose texture then. Store leftovers refrigerated with cling film over cream.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Chill dough half hour. This relaxes gluten, keeps butter firm, helps with flakiness. Roll out on floured surface. Thickness matters. Aim for 3 mm. Prick dough before baking to prevent bubbles. Use ceramic beads for blind baking. Without weight, crust won't crisp.
- 💡 Cover launching crust with plastic. Stops skin from forming on custard. Make sure to let filling thicken fully. Stir constantly at medium heat. Skipping this step leads to lumps. Mix properly so texture is smooth. Skip high heat, risk burning.
- 💡 Start toasting coconut just before assembling. Watch closely. 2-3 minutes, no more. It can burn easily. Spread whipped cream evenly. Stiff peaks, yes, but don't overbeat. It’ll turn grainy. More toppings balance the flavors and textures.
- 💡 Use powdered sugar to sweeten whipped cream. It blends in better than granulated sugar. Keep cream layer thin to showcase colors. Store leftovers tightly covered. Raspberry or chocolate drizzle can be interesting next time.
- 💡 Consider mix-ins, like citrus zest in custard. It adds surprise. Don’t freeze pie, it loses texture. Refrigerate instead. Flavors develop overnight. Chilling solidifies filling, helps cut slices neatly. Be patient with chilling times.
Kitchen Wisdom
How do I fix a soggy crust?
Let it cool completely before filling. If crust gets soggy, bake longer. Maybe blind bake longer also. Use weights for stability.
What helps with thickening custard?
Constant stirring is key. Arrowroot thickens better than cornstarch. Heat gently during cooking. Avoid quick high heat.
Can I substitute ingredients?
Yes, coconut milk works. Use almond milk in a pinch. Not as rich but workable. Regular milk is fine instead of whole.
How to store this pie?
Refrigerate with cling film over cream. Do this after it cools. Can last 2-3 days. But texture may change slightly.
