Coconut Cream Pie with Chocolate Crust

Ingredients

Crust:

• 30 chocolate wafer cookies, broken into pieces

• 1⁄4 tsp coarse salt

• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 1⁄3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Topping and Filling:

• 1 1⁄4 cups plus 1⁄3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

• 2 3⁄4 cups whole milk

• 4 egg yolks

• 1⁄2 cup sugar

• 1⁄3 cup cornstarch

• 3⁄4 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1⁄2 tsp coarse salt

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 tsp sugar (for whipped cream)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325° F (160° C).

2. Make crust: In a food processor, combine cookies and salt and process until fine crumbs form. With machine running, slowly add butter and process until mixture resembles wet sand. Stir in coconut.

3. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

4. Bake until crust is set, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pie plate on a wire rack.

5. Raise heat to 350° F (175° C).

6. Make topping: Spread 1⁄3 cup coconut onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 6-7 minutes, tossing often. Watch carefully!

7. Make filling: In a double boiler, whisk together milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until bubbles form at the edge and mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

8. Stir in 1 1⁄4 cup coconut and butter. Pour filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.

9. Refrigerate until filling is chilled and completely set, about 2 hours (or wrap tightly with plastic and refrigerate, up to 2 days).

10. To serve, whip heavy cream with 2 tsp sugar, until soft peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream and toasted coconut.