Coconut Cream Pie

This is a different take on the coconut cream pie and I loved it!! I mean, come on, who doesn't like chocolate added to their desserts. Just try this puppy and see if you can eat less than I did.

COCONUT CREAM PIE

Everyday Foods November 2009

For the crust:

30 chocolate wafer cookies, broken into pieces (I used 15 whole chocolate graham crackers)

1/4t. coarse salt

5T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/3cup sweetened shredded coconut

For the topping and filling:

1 3/4cups sweetened shredded coconut

2 3/4 cups whole milk

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup corn starch

3/4t. pure vanilla extract

1/2t. coarse salt

1 1 /2 cup heavy cream

Make crust: Preheat oven to 325*. In a food processor, combine cookies and salt; process until fine crumbs form. With machine running, slowly pour butter through feed tube and process until mixture resembles wet sand. Stir in coconut. Press crumbs in bottom and up side of 9 inch deep dish pie plate. Bake until crust is set, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pie plate on wire rack.

Make topping: Increase oven to 350*. Spread 1/2 cup coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Make filling: In a small saucepan, whisk together milk, eggs yolks, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and salt. Cook over medium high heat, whisking constantly until bubbles form at the edge and mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl and stir in 1 1/4 cups coconut. Pour filling into cooled crust and smooth top. Refrigerate until filling is chilled and completely set, about 2 hours (or wrap tightly with plastic and refrigerate up to two days.)

To serve, whip cream until soft peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream and toasted coconut.