Coconut Cream Pie

Coconut cream pie is a favourite that is really easy to make from scratch. When making a Coconut Cream pie, you can use a variety of pie crusts, graham wafer, coconut or pastry. When you make your own filling and pie crust you are eliminating all the chemicals found in the boxed coconut pudding mix and all the unhealthy fats found in commercial pie crusts. If you are using a premade, frozen pastry pie crust, be sure to look for the ones that are made with lard, instead of vegetable shortening. Our bodies recognize lard, and can easily digest it, however vegetable shortening may be linked to cellular inflammation. Coconut helps to stabilize blood sugar, which may be beneficial for people with diabetes, hypothyroidism, insulin resistant metabolic syndrome and obesity. The list of benefits of coconut, coconut milk, coconut water, coconut cream and coconut oil is extensive, and even though coconut fat is a saturated fat, it is a healthful medium chain fatty acid, that is known to help the body metabolize body fat and reduce inflammation. With all the healthful benefits of coconut you can truly enjoy this pie totally guilt free.

Coconut Cream Pie

Graham Crust

1 cup graham wafer crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tablespoon sugar (white or brown)

Melt the butter and then stir in the remaining ingredients. Press into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Coconut Pie Shell

1 1/2 cups unsweetened medium coco

nut

1 – 2 tablespoons sugar (depending

on your desired sweetness)

3 tablespoons butter or coconut oil

Melt the butter ( or coconut oil). Combine the butter coconut and sugar and stir until well blended. Press into an 8” pie plate. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.

Plain Pastry Crust for a single

crust

3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup lard (not shortening)

1/4 teaspoon salt 3-4 tablespoons

iced water

Put the lard and the flour into a bowl, cut or flake the lard using a knife, or a fork, or your fingers or a pastry blender to work the lard and the flour together. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the iced water into the flour mixture and gently mix until moistened. Once the water is added do not over mix or your pastry will be tough. Form the pastry into a ball and roll the pastry ball out to fit a 9” pie pan.

Filling

2 1/4 cups 2% milk

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons cornstarch plus 1

teaspoon

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup coconut, fine unsweetened

In a heavy bottomed pot whisk together the milk, eggs, coconut and vanilla. In a small bowl mix together the cornstarch, and the sugar. Add the cornstarch mixture to the milk mixture. Cook over medium low heat stirring until thickened. Pour the thickened filling into your pie crust, and chill. When chilled, top with whipped cream.

Whipped Cream Topping

Combine 1 cup whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a mixing bowl. Whip until soft peaks are formed. Do not over whip or you will end up with butter. Top the cooled pie with the whipped cream.