Dark Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie
This pie starts with a buttery graham cracker crust, is filled with a silky chocolate coconut custard and topped with homemade whipped cream. It is a modern twist on a classic coconut cream pie and taste better than a mounds candy bar. It can be gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free with a couple simple ingredient swaps.
Equipment
- 1 9x18 Glass Pan
- or Spring Pan
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Measuring Cup and spoon set
- 1 Medium Saucepan
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Hand Mixer stand mixer or whisk
- 1 Mixing bowl
Ingredients
For The Crust:
- 7.5 oz simple mills honey cinnamon thins or 11 graham cracker sheets
- ¼ cup organic coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup fractionated cooking coconut oil or melted butter
- Pinch sea salt or regular kosher salt
For The Custard:
- ¼ cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- ½ cup organic coconut sugar granulated sugar
- Pinch sea salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 eggs
- 1 14 ounce can of full fat coconut milk, chilled and divided reserve 1/4 cup of coconut cream for the whipped cream
- 1 cup A2 Whole milk or milk of choice
- 2 tablespoons fractionated cooking coconut oil or butter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 oz dark chocolate chopped or dark chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup organic shredded unsweetened coconut flakes or none
Coconut Whipped Cream:
- ¼ cup coconut cream from the canned coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar or 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream or cream from canned coconut milk
Toping:
- 1 cup organic shredded unsweetened coconut flakes toasted
Instructions
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a food processor add graham crackers, coconut sugar, coconut oil and salt. Pulse together to fine crumbs.
- Then pour the crumbs into a 9x13 pan or 9 inch spring pan. Press the graham cracker down and up the sides of the dish until evenly distributed.
- Bake the crust in the 350 degrees preheated oven for 8 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Allow the crust to cool and prepare the custard filling.
Make the Pudding
- In a medium saucepan without heat, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, and salt.
- Crack the eggs and egg yolks into the pan and whisk until a paste forms.
- Now open the can of chilled coconut milk and scrape 1/4 cup of the hard cream off of the top, place into a small bowl and place back into the refrigerator to use for the whipped cream later.
- Add the remaining coconut milk and a cup of regular milk to the egg mixture and whisk in until fully incorporated.
- Place the saucepan onto the stove over medium heat and start to cook the custard.
- Stir constantly and continue to cook until the pudding has thickened, bubbles are forming and popping; this takes about 5 minutes.
- Remove the filling from the heat and immediately add in the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and whisk until dissolved.
- Now fold in the shredded coconut, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
- Pour the custard into the graham cracker crust and smooth over the top with a spatula.
- Take plastic wrap and gently press onto the top of the pudding (this prevents the custard from forming a layer of skin when chilling) and then place the pie into the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours. The pie can be made to this stage up to 72 hours in advance.
Make The Whipped Cream
- After 3 hours or right before serving make the homemade whipped cream by adding the reserved coconut cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the heavy cream and continue to beat on medium speed until the cream has reached soft stiff peaks, about 2 more minutes.
- Assemble The Pie
- To assemble the pie remove it from the refrigerator and slowly take off the plastic wrap.
- Transfer the whipped cream onto of the pie and spread it out evenly with an offset spatula.
- Toast some coconut flakes and sprinkle over the top of the cream generously.
- Serve immediately or keep chilled until ready to serve or 4 hours.
Notes
To make the pie gluten free use a gluten free graham cracker like simple mills cinnamon thins.
If you want to make the pie dairy free swap the milk with only coconut milk in the custard. For a coconut milk whipped cream, chill a whole can of coconut milk, open the can and scrape only the cream off of the top, leaving the watery milk behind to use for something else. Then whip the coconut cream according to the whipped cream directions.
To make the pie refined sugar free use coconut sugar and a tsp of honey or maple syrup in the whipped cream.