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 make the custard |  fill the pie shells |  coconut cream pie |  coconut cream pie, toasted |
My husband loves coconut cream pie and so did my mother. When my mother was in hospice, he took a coconut cream pie to her every night. Although she only had a few bites, it was their special time together and she looked forward to it every day.
We were having a small New Year's Eve party this year and I only wanted "pick up" desserts, so I decided to make my coconut cream filling and put it into my 1-bite tartlet shells. Just a quick buttery crust, pushed into miniature muffin tins and baked ~ then filled with a MICROWAVE easy homemade coconut cream filling. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve them.
You can toast the coconut if you want, but I really prefer un-toasted, soft coconut. ** Easy FLAKY TARTLET CRUST recipe at the end ** Button link to my easy FLAKY BUTTER PIE CRUST at the bottom (made with your food processor)
COCONUT CREAM PIE FILLING
(for the TARTLETS, make HALF of the recipe)
3 cups half-and-half~OR~1-1/2 cups EACH half-and-half AND coconut milk
2 eggs ~ OR ~ 3 egg yolks
3/4 cup white sugar………………….…1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted or not (your choice, but I don’t like it toasted)
1 tsp. vanilla extract…………………...1/2 tsp. coconut extract
***
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 TB sugar ………………………………1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
(OR) container of Cool Whip
***
In a large microwave-proof bowl, whisk together half-and-half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Heat on HIGH for 1 minute intervals, whisking after 1 minute each. It should be thick after 3 minutes; so whisk again and stir in the extracts and most of the coconut. Spread in the pie shell ~or~ put about 2 tsp. into each little tart shell. Then chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.
Beat the heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Top chilled pie with whipped cream (or Cool Whip), and with remaining 1/4 cup of coconut.
Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
***
TARTLET PIE SHELLS:
1 cup flour …………...................………….… 6 TB unsalted butter, chilled
1/4 tsp salt …...................…………………...3 TB cold water
1/2 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Quickly spritz the bottom of 24 mini-muffin tins with non-stick baking spray (containing flour)
Mix flour, 6 TB chilled butter (cut into pieces) and salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (use pastry cutter or 2 forks ~ or pulse in your food processor). Add water ~ mix/pulse until dough forms a ball. Chill for 30 minutes.
Shape dough into 24 small balls and put into mini-muffin tins, pressing dough onto bottom and sides. Bake for about 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool about 10 minutes before removing from mini-tins and filling.
***
We were having a small New Year's Eve party this year and I only wanted "pick up" desserts, so I decided to make my coconut cream filling and put it into my 1-bite tartlet shells. Just a quick buttery crust, pushed into miniature muffin tins and baked ~ then filled with a MICROWAVE easy homemade coconut cream filling. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve them.
You can toast the coconut if you want, but I really prefer un-toasted, soft coconut. ** Easy FLAKY TARTLET CRUST recipe at the end ** Button link to my easy FLAKY BUTTER PIE CRUST at the bottom (made with your food processor)
COCONUT CREAM PIE FILLING
(for the TARTLETS, make HALF of the recipe)
3 cups half-and-half~OR~1-1/2 cups EACH half-and-half AND coconut milk
2 eggs ~ OR ~ 3 egg yolks
3/4 cup white sugar………………….…1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted or not (your choice, but I don’t like it toasted)
1 tsp. vanilla extract…………………...1/2 tsp. coconut extract
***
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 TB sugar ………………………………1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
(OR) container of Cool Whip
***
In a large microwave-proof bowl, whisk together half-and-half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Heat on HIGH for 1 minute intervals, whisking after 1 minute each. It should be thick after 3 minutes; so whisk again and stir in the extracts and most of the coconut. Spread in the pie shell ~or~ put about 2 tsp. into each little tart shell. Then chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.
Beat the heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Top chilled pie with whipped cream (or Cool Whip), and with remaining 1/4 cup of coconut.
Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
***
TARTLET PIE SHELLS:
1 cup flour …………...................………….… 6 TB unsalted butter, chilled
1/4 tsp salt …...................…………………...3 TB cold water
1/2 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Quickly spritz the bottom of 24 mini-muffin tins with non-stick baking spray (containing flour)
Mix flour, 6 TB chilled butter (cut into pieces) and salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (use pastry cutter or 2 forks ~ or pulse in your food processor). Add water ~ mix/pulse until dough forms a ball. Chill for 30 minutes.
Shape dough into 24 small balls and put into mini-muffin tins, pressing dough onto bottom and sides. Bake for about 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool about 10 minutes before removing from mini-tins and filling.
***
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