Coconut Cream Pie

We had an unexpected power outage yesterday due to a big, dramatic thunderstorm. There was no internet, no TV and fading light, but I did have pie.  What's a girl gonna do with a whole Coconut Cream Pie in the house, no distractions and an hour to kill?  My hips said no, but my stomach was cheering me on.

Coconut Cream Pie

slightly adapted from here

For the Base:

170g Gingersnap Biscuits, roughly broken up

2 tablespoons desiccated coconut

1 tablespoon caster sugar

80g unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

400ml can coconut milk

1 cup full cream milk

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

5 egg yolks

1/4 cup cornflour

30g unsalted butter

1 teaspoon coconut extract

For the Topping:

1 1/2 cup cold cream

2 tablespoons icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon desiccated coconut, toast in a dry frying pan until golden

Make the Base:

Preheat the oven to 160C.

Put the biscuits, coconut and sugar into a food processor and blitz until you have a fine meal.  Add the melted butter and blitz briefly to mix.  Press this mixture into the base and up the sides of a 23cm glass pie dish.  Use the base of a glass or cup to press the mixture evenly into the corners.  Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust goes golden, rotating the dish halfway through baking.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

Make the Filling:

Put the coconut milk, milk, coconut, 1/2 cup sugar and salt into a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until the mixture is just at simmering point and the sugar has dissolved.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks, cornflour and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar until smooth.  Continue whisking as you slowly add the hot milk mixture, a little at a time.  Whisk well and return it to the stove.  Keep whisking and cook until the mixture thickens and reaches boiling point.  Boil for 1 minute, whisking all the while, then remove from the heat and add the butter and coconut extract and beat until combined.  Pour the hot filling into the cooled base and smooth the surface.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until set and cold.

Make the Topping:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.  Dollop on top of the cooled filling and sprinkle with toasted coconut.