Coconut Custard Pie

In addition to the Shepherd's Pie I made yesterday, I also made a Coconut Custard Pie. I did take a short cut and use a pre-made pie crust that I blind baked per the instructions on the package. This was the perfect accompaniment to the Shepherd's Pie and really easy to make.

Favorite Pies:
French Coconut Pie
Cherry Pie

Coconut Custard Pie

Serves 10

• 1 recipe Basic Pie Crust, rolled and fitted into a 9-inch pie plate (I used pre-made)
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Press a sheet of aluminum foil onto crust, draping over rim of pie plate. To blind-bake: Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Remove beans and foil; let crust cool completely, and set aside.
2. While crust is baking, place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan (off heat), whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in whole milk, making sure to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in coconut milk and egg yolks.
3. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble sputters, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; immediately pour custard through sieve into bowl.
4. Pour custard from bowl into cooled crust; smooth top with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours (or loosely covered, up to 1 day). To serve, let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, then sprinkle with coconut.

To toast the coconut, spread it on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes. Lining unbaked crust with aluminum foil and filling it with dried beans or pie weights prevents the crust from puffing up as it bakes. Store the beans, and use them again the next time you bake a pie.

Source: Everyday Food, November 2008.