Equipment
Ingredients
Pie Crust (Blind Baked)
- 160 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 115 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 2 g salt
- 5 g sugar
- 45 ml ice water
Coconut Custard Filling
- 300 ml whole milk
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 40 g cornstarch
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 30 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 75 g unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Meringue Topping
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 g cream of tartar
- 100 g superfine sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 531 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 58 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 36 g
- Sodium
- 247 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 140 mg
- Potassium
- 200 mg
- Calcium
- 67 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 20 mg
- Phosphorus
- 121 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 176 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.20 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 25 mcg
- Water
- 79 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Spread the shredded coconut on a baking sheet and toast for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Watch closely as it burns quickly. Set aside to cool.
Combine flour, salt, and 5g sugar in a processor or bowl. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle in ice water while mixing until dough just holds together. Form into a disk, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll dough to fit pie dish. Dock the bottom with a fork. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake at 200°C/400°F for 15 minutes. Remove weights/paper, reduce heat to 190°C/375°F, and bake 10-15 minutes more until golden and crisp. Cool completely on a rack.
For the custard: In a saucepan, whisk granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in whole milk, coconut milk, and egg yolks until smooth.
Cook mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it bubbles and thickens. Once boiling, continue whisking for exactly 1 minute to cook out the starch. Remove from heat.
Immediately stir in the room temperature butter, vanilla extract, and 50g of the toasted coconut (reserve remaining 25g for garnish). Pour hot filling into the baked pie shell. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation while making meringue.
Reduce oven temperature to 175°C/350°F. For the meringue: In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add superfine sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Remove plastic from custard. While filling is still warm, spread meringue over the pie. Crucial: Spread meringue all the way to the edges, sealing it against the crust to prevent shrinking.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the meringue peaks are beautifully golden brown. The internal temperature of the meringue should reach 71°C/160°F for safety.
Cool on a wire rack at room temperature for at least 4 hours to allow the custard to set fully. Sprinkle with reserved toasted coconut before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the coconut is non-negotiable; raw coconut lacks the nutty depth and 'crunch' required to balance the creamy filling.
- When blind baking the crust, if you don't have pie weights, use dried rice or sugar. The sugar will become toasted and can be used for baking later!
- Use full-fat canned coconut milk (usually found in the Asian aisle), not the coconut milk beverage found in dairy cartons. The fat is needed for the set.
- Applying meringue to hot filling cooks the underside of the meringue, which prevents 'weeping' (that sad puddle of syrup that forms under the topping).
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Meringue may weep (release liquid) over time; best eaten within 24 hours.
Troubleshooting
Custard is runny after slicing
Cause: The custard didn't boil long enough or wasn't chilled long enough
Fix: Cannot be fixed once sliced; serve in bowls as 'pudding'
Prevention: Ensure the custard boils for a full minute to activate the cornstarch; chill for full 4 hours
Watery layer between meringue and filling (weeping)
Cause: Meringue was put on cold filling or overcooked
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Spread meringue while the custard filling is still hot
Cultural Context
The coconut cream pie is a staple of American diner culture and Southern hospitality, rising to popularity in the early 20th century as coconut imports increased. It represents the ultimate 'comfort' dessert, combining the technical pastry skills of the Old World with the abundance of the New World.
