I love coconut cream pie. I actually love anything with coconut in it. . .but I’m especially fond of cream pie. However, I am no longer young and ahem. . .I can’t eat whatever I want anymore! With that said, I offer you two coconut cream pie recipes. . .the old version with all the fat, sugar and calories a coconut cream pie could offer (you know, for special occasions), and a newer lighter version. If you’re daring–take the challenge and see if you can tell which one is the almost fat free version and which one is not.
Fannie Farmer’s Coconut Cream Pie
1 pre-baked pie shell (you can of course make your own pie crust too)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
3 cups of milk
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup plus 5 tablespoons of coconut; divided
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 and pre-bake the shell for about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool. (Crust does not have to be completely cooled to fill.) Combine the sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan. Stir in the milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Add the egg yolks and continue to cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend in the butter and vanilla. Let the custard cool for about 15 minutes, then pour it into the pie shell and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Made Over Coconut Cream Pie
1 graham cracker or pre-baked pie crust
1/4 cup flaked coconut
3/4 cup sugar substitute such as Splenda
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake 1/4 cup coconut in a shallow pan, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until toasted. Set aside.
Combine sugar substitute, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy saucepan, mixing well. Gradually whisk milk into mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat.
Beat egg yolks until thick and pale. Gradually whisk 3/4 cup of hot milk mixture into yolks; add yolk mixture to remaining hot milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute or until mixture comes to a boil, whisking constantly.
Remove from heat; stir in butter, 3/4 cup coconut and flavorings. Immediately pour filling into crust. Cover with plastic wrap, gently pressing on filling. Chill 3 hours or until firm. Sprinkle remaining with toasted coconut.
Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, solves breastfeeding problems, shares parenting tips, and current research in the baby blog, and insight, resources and ideas as a regular guest blogger in the homeschooling blog. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.
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