Coconut Cream Pie has always been my first choice in pies. This one is my all-time favorite. It isn’t too sweet nor does it have that overbearing sweet artificial coconut flavor. It just has a hint of coconut which gives it a perfect fresh coconut taste.
CRUST
To make your crust cut 1/3 cup of vegetable shortening (I use Crisco) into 1 cup of flour. Add about 1/4 teaspoon salt. I like to use a fork to make sure that the shortening and the flour is finely mixed. Add 3 serving spoons of water to the flour and shortening. You’ll do this one spoonful at a time mixing it into the flour after each addition. I add the water to the edge of the bowl and blend toward the center.Continue mixing. Finish mixing using your hands to bring dough together into a ball.
Place on a floured surface and roll out dough into a 14 inch circle. Place in a deep dish pie pan. Fill crust with dried beans to weight crust and avoid bubble up crust. Bake in a 425 preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, discard beans to a storage container for future use. Allow crust to cool.
In a heavy sauce pan combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup corn starch, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 5 egg yolks. Whisk together to beat yolks. Keep whisking and gradually add 3 cups of milk. Heat on medium heat, constantly whisking until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to whisk and let boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 tablespoons real butter and 1 cup shredded coconut. Stir until butter is melted. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
When cooled pour into baked pie shell. Refrigerate for several hours before adding topping.
Top with an 8 ounce carton of extra creamy non dairy topping. Garnish with toasted coconut.
Yields 8 servings