Snapshot Chronicles

It’s been a while — a LONG while, but I’m ready to start blogging again. Starting with some original recipes I created as part of a Monthly Baking Class I just took — Baking with Christina Tosi of Milk Bar fame

I created this pie to evoke the memory of a Coconut Custard Pie I had at a Horn and Hardart Automat in Manhattan when I was about 8.

Crust

1 pie crust for 9-inch glass pie plate – use your favorite basic pie crust or take the uber short cut and use the Pillsbury ones from the dairy case. The filling is your star here so you just need a good basic pie crust.

You will blind bake the pie crust until it is set but not brown. Use pie weights and a pie shield (or tin foil) to prevent the crust from puffing up and browning too much, especially along the rim where it will be baked again.

375F for 15 minutes or so is probably enough.

Coconut Macadamia Crunch

You’ll want to experiment with how much crunch you use in your pie – the amounts below are good for 1 pie if you like a lot, 2 pies if you prefer less.

The Crunch is added on top of the crust on bottom and sides before you add the custard. On the sides it forms a double crust. In the pie, as the custard sinks, it forms a thin middle layer between the coconut top layer and the custard bottom layer.

65g macadamia nuts
130g Tates Coconut Crisp Cookies (you could use a shortbread or other simple crunchy cookie –the flavor will be a little less coconutty)
30g milk powder
2g kosher salt
50g melted and cooled unsalted butter

Crumb nuts then cookies in food processor to a nice loose crumb with no large chunks but NOT a powder. Think large grained sand. Toss together with milk powder and salt, then toss to combine with melted butter.

Spread in baking sheet lined with parchment paper and back at 275F for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Cool completely.

Coconut Custard Filling

200g granulated sugar
58g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
6 large eggs
Liquid: 4T Saco Buttermilk Blend and 1 c milk OR 1 c buttermilk. If you use the Buttermilk Blend powder you will add it with the sugar and butter, and add the milk later.
6 g (2 tsp) vanilla extract
Pinch salt
171 g (6 oz) shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350F

Whisk sugar with butter (and Buttermilk Blend if using), then whisk in eggs. Add the milk/buttermilk, vanilla and pinch of salt. Whisk until incorporated. Stir in coconut.

Assembly:

Line pre-baked pie crust with Macadamia Coconut Crunch, then pour filling carefully over. Cover rim edges with foil or a pie shield to prevent crust from overbrowning. Bake for 45-50 minutes until custard is set and golden brown on top.

If the pie browns too fast before the center is set, reduce heat to 300F and cover. Total baking time will be between 45-50 minutes, and you will want to watch it closely toward the end.

Let pie cool completely.