National Coconut Cream Pie Day Calls for a Step by Step Recipe and the Story Behind it All
It’s a perfect day to make a pie, but not just any pie, coconut cream pie! In order to properly honor the recipe, we wanted to take a step back in history to see how it all came about.
SEE ALSO: Everything You Need to Know About Derby Pie (Recipe Included)
History of the Coconut Cream Pie
In the 1800’s Americans were the biggest fans of tropical fruit such as bananas and pineapples. Coconut did not take off as they were difficult to transport, and easily spoiled. A french company started shredding coconut and drying it which made shipping much easier and more accessible.
Coconut became accessible to European chef’s and homes and shortly after, gained popularity in America. In took the nation by storm when a Philadelphia flour miller received a shipment of coconuts as a debt payment from a Cuban businessman. in 1895, he set up a factory for drying and shredding the meat of the coconut then putting coconut into the hands of American candy makers, commercial businesses, and home bakers.
Coconut Cream Pie recipes started showing up in cookbooks and by the 1900’s, coconut custard and coconut cream pie became a huge hit nationwide!
National Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
COCONUT CREAM PIE CRUST
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- 9 graham crackers broken into pieces
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
COCONUT CREAM PIE FILLING
- 14 ounces coconut milk, well stirred
- 1 cup of whole milk
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2/3 cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 egg yolks
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter(cut into pieces)
WHIPPED TOPPING
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- 1½ teaspoons dark rum
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread 5 tablespoons of coconut in a small baking pan and toast in the oven until golden brown for approx. 9 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish.
- Pulse the graham crackers and the remaining 4 tablespoons toasted coconut in a food processor/ blender until the crackers are broken down into fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl and stir in the sugar to combine; add the melted butter and toss with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Empty the crumb mixture into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides, forming a crust. Bake the crust until deep golden brown and fragrant, about 22 minutes. Cool the crust on a wire rack while making the filling.
- For the filling, bring the coconut milk, whole milk, shredded coconut, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. When mixture reaches a simmer, whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl to break them up, then whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and cornstarch until well combined and no lumps remain. Gradually whisk the simmering liquid into the yolk mixture to temper it, then return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, whisk in the vanilla and butter. Pour the filling into the cooled crust, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling and refrigerate until the filling is cold and firm, at least 3 hours.
- When the pie is ready to serve, beat the cream and sugar in the chilled bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed to soft peaks; add the rum and vanilla. Continue to beat to barely stiff peaks. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled filling. Sprinkle the reserved 1 tablespoon toasted coconut over the whipped cream and serve. Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
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