COCONUT CREAM PIE WITH MASCARPONE CREAM TOPPING

In my book, nothing is better than a coconut cream pie made with fresh, unsweetened coconut.  Most coconut cream pies are just vanilla pudding with sweetened dried coconut added because it’s such a pain to crack open coconuts.  You can buy frozen unsweetened coconut shreds now in just about any food store, making it a bit easier.  Pulsing the milk mixture with the coconut makes for an almost smooth texture full of coconut flavor.  Using lite coconut milk and whole milk instead of half and half or heavy cream cuts some calories, but this is not a low-fat dessert by any means, especially with a topping of half mascarpone, half heavy cream.

You can use your favorite pastry crust to make this pie, or you can try mine, made with coconut oil and coconut-flavored rum.  Either way, you’re gonna love it!  (You may also want to try my top-rated White Chocolate-Rum-Coconut Cream Pie.)

Coconut Cream Pie with Mascarpone-Cream Topping Rating:  9.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

Crust:  1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12 pieces 1/4 cup extra-virgin unrefined coconut oil, solid state* 2 Tbsp. coconut-flavored rum, or plain rum, chilled 1 Tbsp. ice water In work bowl of food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt several times to combine.  Add butter; pulse 3-4 times, till butter is incorporated but large pieces still remain.  Add coconut oil*and pulse 2-3 time until the largest piece of butter or coconut oil is about the size of a small pea.  Pour mixture into a medium bowl.  Sprinkle rum and ice water over flour mixture and toss with fork or fingers lightly to distribute ingredients.  Place mixture in a plastic sandwich bag; press together to form a disk.  Refrigerate 1/2 hour or overnight.  Roll out dough on floured surface; fit in 9” pie pan.  Prick dough all around with fork to create steam vents.  Freeze 15 minutes.  Heat oven to 425F.  Remove pie plate from freezer and line with parchment paper.  Fill with pie weights or dried beans, being sure the beans are against the sides of the pie.  Bake 15 minutes.  Remove pie from oven.  Take pie weights and parchment out of pie plate.  Place pie plate back in oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, or till crust is golden brown and cooked through.  Set aside to cool. *If coconut oil is in liquid form, measure and place in refrigerator or freezer to get it to solidify.  Cut the solid into several small chunks. Filling:  1-1/2 cups frozen unsweetened coconut flakes (or fresh grated coconut, if preferred) 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 tsp. Morton kosher salt 1 (13.66 oz.) can lite coconut milk, divided use 1 Tbsp. coconut-flavored rum (optional) About 1/4 cup whole milk (coconut milk, rum and whole milk should equal scant 2 cups) 1-1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch 3 Tbsp. flour 2 large egg yolks 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin unrefined coconut oil 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract In work bowl of food processor, combine coconut, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup coconut milk.  Pulse several times, using long pulses, until mixture is almost smooth.  Scrape sides and bottom.  Add rum, whole milk, cornstarch and flour and pulse several times to incorporate.  Add egg yolks and pulse till well mixed.  Pour mixture into 2-quart saute pan with remaining coconut milk.  Heat to boiling over medium heat, whisking constantly.  After mixture comes to a full boil, cook 1 minute, then remove from heat.  Stir in 1 Tbsp. each coconut oil and butter and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on surface and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.  Pour into cooled crust.  Cover and chill several hours till very cold.  Before serving, cover pie with topping and garnish with toasted coconut.  Yield:  8 servings Topping: 8 oz. mascarpone 8 oz. heavy whipping cream 6 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar 1 tsp. coconut-flavored rum 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla powder or vanilla extract 1/3 cup toasted coconut In bowl of stand mixer, using paddle attachment, beat mascarpone and whipping cream on low speed.  Gradually increase speed to medium high and beat till mixture is thickened.  Add sugar and beat again till smooth.  Beat in rum and vanilla.  Spoon mixture on top of chilled pie, just before serving.  Sprinkle with coconut.