COCONUT CUSTARD PIE-CREAM CHEESE PIE DOUGH

Coconut Custard Pie

makes 1 9-inch pie

1/2 recipe Cream Cheese Pie Dough or other good crust

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

2/3 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 cup milk (preferably whole)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

For serving (optional):

whipped cream

On a floured surface, roll out pie dough to a 12″ diameter. Fit into a deep 9-inch pie plate and trim the overhang to 1/2-inch. Crimp the edges and freeze for 15 minutes.

Place an oven rack in the lowest position, leaving a lot of headroom above. Preheat oven to 375F.

Lightly grease a sheet of foil. Remove pie crust from the freezer. Prick the bottom several times with the tines of a fork. Line frozen crust with greased foil (greased side down). Top it with another sheet of foil going in the opposite direction, so that all the crust is covered. Gently curl the foil down to loosely tent the crimp. Fill the center with pie weights (or dried beans, rice, seeds). Freeze 10 minutes.

Place the prepared pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until pie crust has “set,” but is far from done. Use foil to lift out pie weights. Let par-baked crust rest in its pan (and still on the baking sheet) on a rack while you prepare the filling.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is an even light yellow. Whisking continuously, add melted butter. Add dry ingredients one tablespoon at a time, whisking until combined. Whisk in milk and vanilla.

Scatter coconut over the bottom of the par-baked crust. Pour custard over the top. Use a long sheet of foil (~5 feet) to loosely wrap the pie.

Carefully move the pie (still on the baking sheet) to the oven. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350F and bake for another 25 minutes. Carefully remove foil wrap. Bake pie for another 15-25 minutes, or until the top is light golden, the edges are puffed, and the center is still a little jiggly (not soupy). Turn off oven and crack the door open. Let the pie sit in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove pie to a rack to cool completely.

Coconut Custard Pie may be served at room temperature or cold with whipped cream, if desired.

Leftover pie will keep covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Cream Cheese Pie Dough

Rating: 3.08 stars

Freezing cream cheese for 20 to 30 minutes makes cutting it in to small pieces easy.

Prep:

15 mins

Total:

1 hr

Yield:

Makes enough for 1 double-crusted or 2 single-crusted 9-to-10-inch pies

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 
  2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 
  1 teaspoon salt 
• 
  2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces 
• 
  6 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into small pieces 
• 
  3 to 4 tablespoons ice water 

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• 
  Step 1 Combine flour and salt in a food processor, and pulse to blend. Add butter and cream cheese, pulsing until pea-size clumps form.
• 
  Step 2 With machine running, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until mixture comes together when pressed in your hand. Divide dough into 2 pieces, and shape each into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.