Rememberance of Hawaii.....

I found this when going through my files and with all this warm summer we are having, I thought this would be fun to share. Getting the coconut meat separated from the shell was a bit of an opportunity for challenge, but in the end, I found a way to coax it from it's shell to make the best coconut pie I've ever had. I hope you enjoy.  Now to find the picture of the pie.  I was sure I took a picture, but now that I think of it it might not have lasted long enough to take a picture.....

Hawaii Fresh Coconut Cream Pie

January 2012 –Vacation recipe

 Ingredients

· 3/4 cup sugar

· 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

· 1 1/2 cups whole milk

· 1/3 cup cornstarch

· 5 egg yolks

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 1 cup grated, fresh coconut – 1.5 coconuts

· 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

· 1/2 tsp coconut extract

· 1 tablespoon butter

· 1 (9-inch) baked pie shell, recipe follows

· 1/3 cup toasted coconut

· Whipped cream, for garnish

Directions

Extracting the meat from the Coconut

Once getting to the inner coconut, break in quarters and microwave each piece for 30-45 seconds. Work one piece at a time. This loosens the meat from the coconut and makes it much easier to remove. Grate on a medium grater

In a nonstick 1-quart saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, coconut milk, and 1 cup milk. Scald mixture.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch together to make a slurry. Whisk egg yolks with salt in medium bowl. Temper yolks by adding 1/2 cup scaled milk mixture to yolks and whisk well.

Add yolk mixture and slurry back into milk mixture and whisk vigorously over medium heat until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add coconut, vanilla, coconut extract, and butter. Whisk until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Chill the pie completely, about 2 hours.

To serve, top with toasted coconut and a dollop of whipped cream.

Pie shell:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

• 6 to 7 tablespoons ice cold water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add the shortening and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water and let sit 1 minute. Either using a fork or your hands, carefully press the mixture together to form a soft ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Gently fold the circle of dough in half and then in half again so that you can lift it without tearing it, and unfold into a 9-inch by 2-inch deep-dish pie pan. Crimp the edges and chill again for 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake pie shell until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely before using.

Yield: 1 deep-dish pie shell