Tom Douglas’ Triple Cream Coconut Cream Pie

~I generally do not care for desserts. Other than apple, I generally do not like pies. I also generally do not care for coconut on its own.  At an office birthday party, one bite of this pie changed my life. A buttery flaky crust, creamy light fluffy coconut cream enveloping my tongue, topped with fragrant toasted coconut and white chocolate shavings. I feel like I should say more, but I really can't. This is the most amazing pie and the mere thought of trying to describe its magnificence, just sends me into a blissful coconutty daydream.

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

1 vanilla bean

2 large eggs

¾ cup & 2 tbsp sugar- divided

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

¼ cup cold unsalted butter- cut into pieces

1 ½ cups chilled whipping cream

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut

9” Coconut Pie crust

2oz toasted sweetened shredded coconut

4oz bar white chocolate- shaved

Directions:

1. Combine milk and 2 cups sweetened coconut in a sauce pan.
2. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and scrape seeds into milk mixture. Add pod.
3. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture almost comes to a boil. Remove from heat.
4. Whisk together eggs, ½ cup plus 2tbsp sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until well blended.
5. Gradually whisk about 1/3 cup milk mixture into egg mixture; pour back into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 6min or until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
6. Whisk another 3min or until very thick. Remove from heat; add butter, and whisk until melted. Discard vanilla pod.
7. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and place entire bowl in a larger bowl of ice water.
8. Stir occasionally until mixture cools. Remove medium bowl from ice bath, and place plastic wrap directly on surface of mixture; chill 4 hours or until cold. (Mixture will thicken.)
9. Fill Coconut Piecrust with pastry cream, smoothing surface. Beat whipping cream, remaining ¼ cup sugar, and vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually increase speed to high, and beat until soft peaks form. Pipe or spoon whipped cream over pie.
10. Preheat oven to 350°. Spread coconut chips on a baking sheet, and bake at 350° for 7 to 8 minutes or until golden, stirring twice. Cool.
11. Top pie with coconut and shaved white chocolate.