In honor of my older brother's birthday and pi day (happens to be the same day, what?!), this coconut lime cream pie was born! Everything about this pie is unique, from the coconut flour oat crust, to the lime whipped cream and the creamy coconut filling. It all adds up to be one of the best bites, definitely bringing your mind to paradise.
So now, let me tell you a little bit about my brother, Greg, and why this is basically him in pie form.
He is always outside. If he's not, he is figuring out his next adventure and way to get outdoors. Hiker, biker, world traveler, eater of the most strange foods. Greg spent a year in Cambodia, where he turned even more awesome by becoming a master librarian as well as developing a newfound love for mango sticky rice. No matter what the situation, whether it's traveling to a new location or making a ridiculously delicious Asian dish he had fallen in love with, Greg does it with the highest intensity. He sees what has been done repeatedly, and pushes to do it differently, in his own style.
So here comes the pie. The crust is not a traditional butter-flour pie dough, nor is it a graham cracker crust. I decided to make an oat crust using coconut flour instead (which is also delicious on its own as a snack!). The coconut cream filling has a slight twist, using equal amounts of whole eggs to yolks, giving you a ridiculously smooth texture. And finally, the whipped cream, which has no sugar but is flavored by some lime zest. Yes, going the complete traditional route is always acceptable and delightful, but why do that when you can enhance each part, making this the best of the best in coconut cream pies!
crust ingredients
Oats--5 oz, or 1 1/2 cup
Salt--0.1 oz, or 1/2 tsp
Coconut Flour--1.15 oz, or 1/4 cup
Butter (soft)--4 oz, or 1 stick
Brown Sugar--4.5 oz, or 1/2 cup
Butter (melted)--2 oz, or 3 TBL
process
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the oats, salt and coconut flour.
In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the 4 oz of butter and brown sugar until light.
Add in the oat mixture to the creamed butter. Mix until combined.
Butter (soft)--4 oz, or 1 stick
Brown Sugar--4.5 oz, or 1/2 cup
Butter (melted)--2 oz, or 3 TBL
process
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the oats, salt and coconut flour.
In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the 4 oz of butter and brown sugar until light.
Add in the oat mixture to the creamed butter. Mix until combined.
On a pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, spread the oats evenly.
Put in the oven for 10 minutes.
Take the pan out of the oven, stir the mixture around so that the parts that have not browned, can, and vice versa.
Put back in the oven for 10 minutes.
You want this crust to be evenly browned (slightly)!
Take the oats out of the oven and allow to cool completely.
Once cool, transfer to a bowl and add the melted butter. Mix.
Now you will want to press this into your pie plate/shells.
I made individual serving pies in my small ramekins. This is a great option if you are trying to portion control, having a dinner party, or just want to do something a little different! Making an entire pie is also doable and a great idea.
For the ramekins, I used 1 Tablespoon of the crust to cover the bottom just about 1/4" thick. For a full pie shell, you will of course use much more, but you still only want the crust about 1/4" thick.
Allow these to set in the fridge while you make your pastry cream filling.
coconut pastry cream ingredients
Almond Milk--16 oz, or 2 cups
Sugar--4 oz, or 1/2 cup
Unsweetened coconut flakes--2 oz, or 1 cup
Salt--pinch
Flour--1.5 oz, or 4 TBL
Eggs--2 whole + 2 yolks
Vanilla--0.25 oz, or 2 tsp
Butter (soft)--1.5 oz, or 3 TBL
process
In a small sauce pot, put 90% of your milk, 50% of your sugar (eyeball them!) and the coconut flakes.
Putting the sugar in helps prevent the milk from scorching.
In a separate bowl, mix together the rest of your milk with the flour.
Add the eggs and the second 50% of your sugar to this milk mixture. Whisk together until combined.
Bring your milk/sugar from step 1 to a boil.
Be careful not to walk away from this! It will boil very quickly and could possibly boil over, leaving you with quite a mess to clean up!
Once it is boiling, temper milk into the egg mixture. You will do this by slowly pouring about 75% of the boiling milk into your eggs, whisking constantly.
Now put everything back into your pot and onto the stove (both the boiling milk and tempered eggs).
With the burner on medium high, whisk constantly until your milk mixture, now becoming pastry cream, has thickened and is coming to a boil.
Once boiling, take off of the heat, add the vanilla and butter.
Now you can pour this pastry cream into a thin layer onto plastic wrap (don't worry, it won't melt!) and cover with another layer of plastic wrap. Let this cool completely before using!
assembly
Once your coconut pastry cream has cooled and your oat crusts have set, it is time to do the very simple assembly of your pies!
In the ramekins, put in 3 Tablespoons of the filling, which brings it just shy of the top.
Now, you can either leave them like this OR top them with whipped cream!
To make the whipped cream, take 8 oz/1 cup of heavy cream, add the zest of 1 lime, and either use a whisk and do it by hand (a real workout!) or use your mixer with the whisk attachment!
There is no need to add any sugar or flavorings to this, so that this dessert stays nice and light! The addition of the zest makes your coconut cream pies ever so refreshing.
Once you have finished whipping your cream, put a nice dollop on top of each small pie (or spread around your entire pie), add some more of the oat crust to the top for garnish, and enjoy!
Bon Appétit!