Paula Deans Coconut Custard Pie Recipes

FRENCH COCONUT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 °F.
• In a large bowl, combine melted butter, eggs, flour, sugar, coconut, and milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake until firm, about 45 to 60 minutes.

PAULA'S PERFECT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball.
• When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.

OLD FASHIONED BAKED CUSTARD WITH COCONUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Butter six small ramekins; set aside. Heat up enough water to fill a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish halfway. Heat milk to near boiling in the microwave or on the stovetop; set aside. Toast the coconut in a skillet; set aside to cool. Reserve one tablespoon of the coconut for garnish.
• Whisk the eggs; beat in the sugar a little at a time. Add the salt and slowly beat in the hot milk, a little at a time, so as not to scramble the eggs. Add the vanilla and all but one tablespoon of coconut.
• Pour evenly into six small ramekins. Sprinkle tops of each ramekin with a fresh grating of nutmeg. Set the ramekins in the baking dish, and slowly pour the hot water around them, up to just under the rims, taking care not to allow the water to come up over the tops.
• Bake about 45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven slowly to avoid splashing water into the ramekins and using an oven mitt, carefully remove each ramekin from the water. Sprinkle the reserved coconut over the top of each custard as a garnish. Let cool; can be served warm or cold.
• Makes 4 to 6, depending on the size ramekins used.

OLD FASHIONED EGG CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dock the pastry shell all over with the tines of a fork. This will keep it from buckling. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Whisk in the flour, a little at a time, until well blended.
• For easy transport, set the pie plate on a tray. Pour the egg mixture into the baked pie shell and move the whole tray carefully over to the stovetop. Open the oven and slowly transfer the pie plate to the oven rack.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 325 degrees F and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool to room temperature before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

EGGNOG CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 °F.
• On a lightly floured surface, unroll pie crust. Roll pastry into a 12-inch circle. Press pie crust into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate, crimping edges, if desired. Lightly poke holes into the bottom of the dough once it's fitted firmly in the plate.
• In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until well combined. Add evaporated milk, water, rum and salt. Beat at low speed until combined. Pour mixture into crust. Sprinkle top of pie with nutmeg and cinnamon. Place pie onto a rimmed baking sheet with a depth of 1/2-inch. Add hot water to baking sheet.
• Bake for about 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.
• Cut into desired sizes and garnish with whipped cream and powdered sugar.

COCONUT CREAM PIE

Steps:

• For crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into a rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a rimmed 13x9-inch baking sheet with cooking spray.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 15x12-inch rectangle. Press dough into bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Top with a piece of parchment paper, letting excess extend over edges of pan. Add pie weights.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, for filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt; whisk in milk, coconut milk, and egg yolks until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in coconut and vanilla.
• Spread filling into prepared crust. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on surface of filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 3 hours. Just before serving, top with Coconut Whipped Cream. Garnish with toasted coconut, if desired.
• In a large bowl, beat cream and sugar with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add coconut milk, beating until stiff peaks form.

PAULA'S COCONUT CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Heat 2 1/2 cups milk in a saucepan.
• Beat the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup milk.
• Mix the sugar, salt and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the egg and milk mixture.
• Take 1/4 cup of the heated milk and add to the egg mixture., then add this mixture to the rest of the heated milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until thick. Remove from heat.
• Add the vanilla and butter and stir. Fold in the coconut. Pur into baked pie crust.
• Let cool. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream.