Coconut Cream Pie and Chocolate Pie with Aunt Boo

Aunt Boo is in the Kirby and Holloway Kitchen making coconut cream and chocolate pie.

Coconut Cream Pie

Crust

• 30 Ginger Snaps (Stauffer’s brand preferred)
• ¼ Cup Sweetened Coconut
• 6 Tbsp Butter, melted

1. Pulverize cookies in food processor.
2. Add coconut and pulse.
3. Mix in butter until crumbs become sticky.
4. Press into pre-sprayed/floured 9” pie pan.
5. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Filling

• 1 ¾ Cups Whole Milk
• ¾ Cup Heavy Cream
• ½ Cup Sugar
• 4 Egg Yolks
• ¼ Cup Corn Starch
• 1 ½ Cups Sweetened Coconut
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• ½ tsp Coconut Extract
• ¼ tsp Lemon Extract
• 1 Tbsp Butter

1. Heat milk and sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar completely dissolved.
2. Whisk together cream, egg yolks and cornstarch. Add to milk/sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
3. Continue to whisk until until the liquid begins to thicken. Still whisking, heat for 30-45 seconds to fully cook eggs.
4. The mixture will be very thick. Remove from heat and add coconut, extracts (vanilla, coconut, & lemon), and butter. Blend thoroughly.
5. Pour into pie shell. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least one hour.
6. Before serving, decorate with whipped topping and toasted coconut.

Toasted Coconut

• 1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut
• Powdered Sugar

1. Spread coconut onto sheet pan.
2. Bake in 400 degree oven until brown (approx 3 minutes).
3. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Crust

• 5 oz Chocolate Teddy Grahams (½ oox)
• ¼ Cup Mini-Chocolate Chips
• 2 Tbsp Cup Brown Sugar
• 6 Tbsp Butter, melted

1. Pulverize cookies in food processor.
2. Add chocolate chips and brown sugar and pulse just to mix. Mix in butter until crumbs become sticky.
3. Press into pre-sprayed/floured pie pan.
4. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Filling

• 1 ½ Cups Whole Milk
• ¾ Cup Heavy Cream
• ½ Cup Sugar
• 4 Egg Yolks
• ¼ Cup Corn Starch
• 1 ½ oz Dark, Unsweetened Chocolate, Chopped
• 1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Tbsp Instant Coffee (or 2 Tbsp Cinnamon or 3 Tbsp Kahlua)
• 1 Tbsp Butter

1. Heat milk and sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
2. Whisk together cream, egg yolks and cornstarch. Add to milk/sugar mixture. Continue whisking until until the liquid begins to thicken.
3. Keep whisking on heat for 30-45 seconds.
4. Remove from heat and add chocolate, vanilla extract, coffee and butter. Stir until melted and completely blended.
5. Pour into pie shell.
6. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least one hour.
7. Before serving, decorate with whipped topping and chocolate shavings.

Alternatives:

For chocolate pie, whip one cup heavy cream until it begins to form soft peaks.  Add ½ tsp mint extract and 3 – 4 drops green food coloring (or try 1 oz.creme de mint).  Evenly spread on pie. Refrigerate. For a giggle, add several mint flavored candy leaves or sprinkle with chocolate jimmies.’

For a lemon meringue, follow the general directions for the coconut cream pie. Substitute pecan sandy cookies for ginger snaps and eliminate the coconut. Heat 1 ½ cups milk for a minute or two in the microwave.  Add strips of lemon peel from 2 lemons and steep for 5 minutes. Strain out and discard rind. While brewing, juice the two lemons to make about ½ c juice. Set juice aside. Heat lemon milk with ½ cup sugar until the sugar dissolves.  Add ¾ c heavy cream, 4 egg yolks and ¼ c (4 Tbsp) cornstarch as above. When thickened, remove from heat. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and ½ tsp lemon extract. Beat the 4 egg whites, 2 Tbsp powdered sugar and ½ tsp cream of tartar until stiff to make a meringue. Toast in oven in 350 oven until peaks brown.  Refrigerate..

For banana cream pie, follow the general directions for the coconut cream pie.  Use vanilla wafers instead of ginger snaps. Eliminate coconut in the crust. Slice one or two bananas and place on the cooled crust.  Make the filling, eliminating the coconut and the coconut extract. Increase the vanilla extract to 1 ½ tsps. Pour the pudding carefully over the banana slices.  Decorate the cooled pie with whipped topping and more banana slices.

In short, experiment and have fun!