Coconut Cream Pie with Toasted Almond Crust

Hello. My name is Rebecca and I'm addicted to pastry cream.

The filling for both Coconut Cream Pie and Coconut Cream Cake is essentially the same thing: coconut-flavored pastry cream with plenty of sweet toasted coconut stirred in. It's the ultimate in rich, creamy, coconut deliciousness.

Considering my utter love and devotion to Coconut Cream Cake, it's no surprise that Coconut Cream Pie is one of my all-time favorite kinds of pie.

I have always been a fan of rich, creamy desserts. Even as a child, I didn't care for super sugary confections like cotton candy, but would have happily eaten a bowl of pudding or frozen custard at every meal if allowed. So, it's no surprise that I'm obsessed with pastry cream.

My favorite pastry cream recipe is incredibly thick, rich, creamy, and delicious. It can easily hold its own in-between layers of cake or flaky pastry, as a filling for pies and tarts, or piped into cream puffs, doughnuts, or eclairs.

It is, without a doubt, one of the most used, most loved, most versatile, most delicious recipes in my baking toolbox. 

Besides being relatively simple to make and delicious, the pastry cream is incredibly stable.

You can even freeze it - something the entire internet says you can't do. The secret to its stability is the addition of gelatin. While other cornstarch-thickened sauces, puddings, and gravies can NOT be frozen without turning into a sloppy, gluey mess once thawed, the addition of gelatin in this recipe allows the custard to be frozen without fail. 🙌

Ingredients Needed to Prepare this Recipe

• Plain, unflavored powdered gelatin. Just 2 teaspoons of gelatin is the secret to super stable pastry cream that won't break down or separate and that can even be frozen.
• 8 large egg yolks. So, what do you do with the leftover egg whites? Check out the FAQ section below for a list of ideas.
• Cornstarch thickens the pastry cream so you can serve this pie in neat, creamy slices.
• Whole Milk. You can also use 2% but whole milk makes the creamiest coconut cream pie filling.
• Granulated sugar. Just enough sugar to make a sweet but not cloying coconut cream pie.
• Salt. Always.
• Almond extract. Just a tiny bit of almond extract is the perfect complement to the creamy coconut flavor in this pie.
• Coconut Extract. A bit of coconut extract stirred into the pastry cream along with a handful of toasted shredded coconut are what give the pastry cream its coconut flavor.
• Heavy whipping cream. This isn't called a coconut cream pie for nothing. There's heavy cream in the coconut cream filling and in the whipped cream topping.
• Confectioners sugar (powdered sugar) for the smoothest whipped cream topping.
• Sweetened shredded coconut. For the best flavor, it's important to use sweetened shredded coconut in this pie which is usually found in the baking aisle.
• One bottom pie crust.

What Kind of Pie Crust is Best for Coconut Cream Pie?

My favorite pie crust to use with this pie is Toasted Almond Pie Crust. I love the extra crispy texture of toasted almond pie crust with any kind of cream pie and the almond flavor goes particularly well with coconut.

Toasted Almond Pie Crust is flaky, nutty, warm, and extra crispy. The combination of butter and toasted almond flour creates a crust that is flaky, tender, and crisp – almost like a crisp butter cookie.

The crispy texture of Toasted Almond Crust creates a delicious base for any kind of pie but is especially delicious in cream pies like Chocolate Cream Pie, and of course, Coconut Cream Pie.

Step-by-Step Photos and Instructions

To make the coconut cream filling:

Measure the gelatin into a small bowl and add about a tablespoon of water. Stir until all the gelatin is moistened and set aside.

Add the egg yolks and the cornstarch to another bowl and mix with a wire whisk until combined.

Pour the milk into a saucepan, add some sugar and a pinch of salt and cook until it just barely begins to boil. Remove the pan from the heat.

Pour the hot milk into a measuring cup with a spout and then add it to the egg yolks very slowly. It's important to pour the hot milk into the egg yolks slowly so they don't scramble.

Pour everything back into the saucepan and set it over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly until the custard is thick and begins to boil.

Remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring for 20 seconds.

Spoon the pastry cream into a bowl.

Break the softened gelatin into pieces and sprinkle them over the top of the hot pastry cream.

Add the coconut and almond extracts, stir to mix, then cover and let the pastry cream chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Beat some heavy cream with an electric mixer until thick enough to hold its shape. Add the chilled pastry cream and beat until the whipped cream and pastry cream are smooth and well combined.

Stir some toasted coconut into the pastry cream then spread the coconut cream filling into a baked pie crust.

Beat more heavy cream with some powdered sugar then spread or pipe whipped cream over the top of the coconut cream filling, and top with a handful of toasted coconut.

Refrigerate the pie until ready to serve.

Advance Preparation Instructions:

• The Coconut Cream Filling can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator in a covered container. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
• The Toasted Almond Pie Crust dough can be stored, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. 
• The baked Toasted Almond Pie Crust shell can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance. Store the baked crust, covered, at room temperature.
• The fully assembled Coconut Cream Pie can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Store the pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

How to Freeze the Coconut Cream Pie Filling:

The most important thing you need to know about freezing the coconut cream filling for this pie is to freeze it before beating in the whipped cream and toasted coconut. The point at which the pastry cream can be frozen is step #8 in the recipe below.

1. Freeze the filling BEFORE adding the whipped cream. Make the coconut pastry cream and let it cool in the refrigerator completely. Then, make sure it’s in an air-tight container or a bowl that’s well wrapped and put it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
2. Allow the frozen coconut pastry cream to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for about 3-4 hours. Once thawed, beat the pastry cream with whipped cream and stir in some toasted coconut. Spoon it into a baked pie crust, and top it with even more whipped cream. After that, all that's left to do is lick the spoon. 😋

How to Freeze the Toasted Almond Pie Crust

Just like with the coconut cream filling for this pie, the toasted almond crust can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. Form the dough into a ball and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer zip-top bag. Let the dough thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out and baking. 

You can also roll the dough out before freezing it. Lay the rolled-out dough on a baking sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and let freeze for a few hours until solid. Once solid, you can remove the dough from the baking sheet, wrapping it tightly before placing it back in the freezer.

Allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then proceed to bake and fill the crust.

FAQs