Coconut Cream Pie with Oatmeal Coconut Crust

  • Coconut Cream Pie with Oatmeal Coconut CrustYeah, yeah, I know- you’ve seen me make this one before.

    But this one is different- and dare I say, superior to the other Banana Coconut Cream Pie that I baked for you a couple of years ago.

    Why, you ask?

    Oats.  In the crust.
    And cooler-looking coconut, toasted and sprinkled on top of the pie.  (When in doubt, to look fancy, just toast the big flakes of coconut and your dessert will look so much fancier.  Just don’t burn them, like I did here.)

    So here’s what’s going on in this pie:

    • Coconut-oat-butter crust (basically like a granola bar on the bottom) that you’ll want to just eat on its own.  I might have done that.
    • Layer of banana over the crust, for health reasons.
    • Layer of coconut cream, which you’ll also want to eat on its own.  I might have eaten several spoonfuls before spreading the goop on the banana layer.  (The big baking spoonfuls, like a spatula with a slight edge, really.)
    • Layer of fresh whipped cream (sweetened with a hint of sugar and vanilla), which you’ll also want to eat on its own.  I might have absolutely “licked the beater attachment” quite liberally.
    • Layer of toasted fancy looking coconut, which you’ll want to down on its own.  I eat this stuff like candy, so I won’t even be coy and pretend I didn’t have lots while making this pie.

    Go on with you!  Bake away!

    Adapted from my Banana Coconut Cream Pie recipe…

    OATMEAL-COCONUT CRUST:

    1 cup rolled oats

    1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut (Angel Flake, ideally)

    1/3 cup tablespoons butter, melted

    1/4 cup brown sugar

    FILLING:

    2 1/2 cups half-and-half cream (or light cream, or milk)

    1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

    3/4 cup sugar

    1/4 cornstarch

    4 egg yolks

    1 tablespoon butter

    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

    2 – 3 bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch thick coins

    WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING:

    3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

    1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

    3 tablespoons shredded coconut, toasted

    COCONUT GARNISH:

    2/3 cup coconut shavings/ chips, lightly toasted

    1. OATMEAL-COCONUT CRUST:  Preheat oven to 375°.  In a medium bowl, melt butter and mix with oats, coconut and sugar.  Press into a 9″ deep dish pie plate and bake for 8 – 12 minutes, until golden.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.
    2. CREAM FILLING:  In a medium bowl, combine cream and coconut.  Microwave for 2 minutes; allow to rest while you prepare for step 3.  Strain out coconut with a fine-meshed sieve.  Make sure you still have 2 1/2 cups of cream, so add more if necessary.
    3. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.  Gradually add cream, whisking to incorporate.  Cook over medium-high heat, whisking almost constantly.  Cook until thickened and bubbly, then reduce heat.
    4. In a medium bowl, slightly beat egg yolks with a fork.  Stir a spoonful of the hot cream filling into the yolks, then stir in another spoonful.  Pour about half of the remaining hot cream into the yolks, stirring constantly.  Pour all of the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining cream filling, and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce heat and cook for 2 more minutes, whisking.  Remove from heat.
    5. Stir in butter and vanilla into cream mixture.
    6. Place sliced bananas over bottom of the coconut crust.  Pour cream filling over top and refrigerate until set and cooled.
    7. WHIPPED CREAM:  In a large bowl, beat heavy whipping cream with sugar until firm and spreadable.  Spread evenly over cooled cream filling.  Sprinkle toasted coconut over top… slice, and enjoy!

     Tips:

    • LOVE coconut?  Want more of it?  Cheers to coconut! Simply stir a cup of coconut into the cream when you add the butter and vanilla… and don’t bother pre-soaking the coconut in like in Step 2 above.  You’ll end up with a coconutty-creamy inside filling.  Different texture than just cream- but up to you.
    • Skip the banana layer if you’d like.
    • Why all the fuss with the yolks?  Yeah, I know.  You need to gradually increase the temperature of the yolks so they don’t scramble- like they would if you heated them up right away by adding them to the hot cream.  “Tempering” is the word, in case you care.
    • Toasting the coconut for the garnish is easy… put it in a non-stick pan and heat over medium, stirring often, until golden.  (Or place on a baking sheet in your hot oven for a few minutes, when the pie crust is baking.)
    • Be careful not to over whip the cream.  I might have done this here, and had to start over.  Sigh.
    • Storage is a bitch, because of the cream top.  Try not to cover with plastic or foil directly.  You could always put toothpicks in the cream then drape plastic wrap over that- but it’s risky.  Eat the pie within a day.
    • Enjoy!!!

     

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    September 19th, 2015 | More Sweets Please | 1 Comment | Tags: , , ,

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