Dec 11, 2010
My husband is from the East Coast where coconut custard pie is popular. Here in the Midwest, coconut cream is the coconut pie of choice. Since I can't purchase a coconut custard pie out here, I have to make them homemade. This one is his favorite so far. It is easy to make and comes out creamy and very tasty. I usually do not have the whipping cream on hand, so I just use one and one half cups of evaporated milk instead of the one cup it calls for. I also use just 1 tsp.of vanilla. I thought the one and a half might be too overpowering. Before putting in the oven, I sprinkle a few tablespoons of coconut on top of the custard. I also sprinkle a little nutmeg on top. Besides tasting great, it looks very appetizing. Hint: brushing your pie crust with a lightly beaten egg white, helps to keep the crust from getting too soggy. Also, I use an unbaked pie crust..saves time and that is what most recipes call for with a custard type pie. Thanks Celia for a great recipe!!!
Update: I have begun making this with a total of 3 cups of milk. It seems to make for a bit creamier pie. I used whatever combination of milks/cream I have on hand. Even using 3 cups of whole milk it turns out great. I recently came across a great tip to help you from overcooking your custard. Overcooking it results in it watering out. I now use a quick read thermometer and bake the pie until the center is 160. This has been working out great!!!! So far, no more watered out custard pies. :-)
—MARY DOMAZ
