Tag Archives: shredded coconut

French Coconut Pie

French Coconut Pie blog
This is a pie for sweet tooth folks only so feel free to reduce the amount of sugar as you wish.  I’m one of those nothing-is-too-sweet-for-me people and I think the pie is perfect “as is” but do your own thing, as always!

This basic 2-step recipe (make a crust then make your filling and bake the pie) is always a winner!  The vinegar in the filling contrasts nicely with the sweetness and in that this pie will remind you of a Chess or Cornmeal Pie as the recipes for each of these produce a pie with a sweetened thick, sometimes grainy, texture.

Serve this at room temperature after baking or chilled if there are leftovers.  Dollop with a whipped cream rosette and you’re ready to sit down, relax, and enjoy mightily! The recipe, from my sister’s deli cookbook, is also found in my “Missouri to Maui” cookbook.  If you’re a coconut fan this is a good pie for you!

French Coconut Pie

Ingredients

4 eggs
1 stick butter, softened
2-1/4 cups sugar
1 T. flour
1-1/2 cups shredded coconut (1/3 cup reserved)
1-1/2 T. vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-9” unbaked pastry shell

Directions Preheat oven to 350. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs, butter, sugar, flour, coconut, vinegar and vanilla until well-blended and creamy. Pour into the unbaked pastry shell and bake 40 minutes or until set. Add the reserved coconut to top of the pie and bake another 15 minutes until the coconut flakes brown and are well-toasted.

An Old Favorite

shauns pistachio angel delight

One of my hanai nephew’s favorite desserts (and he has already changed the recipe and made it even more his own), Shaun’s Angel Delight is a wonderful dessert for Christmas or any time at all. The mac nuts Shaun added in lieu of the pecans I used at Kete-Yama’s are a wonderful connection as well to our island home, Maui. And, of course, he used his favorite Pistachio pudding and not my recipe’s French Vanilla. I made this dessert daily at Kete-Yama’s, my small café on Maui, and it quickly became Shaun’s favorite. The middle layer is the custard so you can be creative here (i’m thinking chocolate pudding mix and adding chocolate shavings to the top instead of flaked coconut). No matter the flavor, the texture is always complemented by the crispness of the shortbread crust. Mama’s sister, our Aunt Lou, sent me this recipe when I asked at home for good dessert recipes for the café, and it became a reliable and popular item on our menu. This one you made looks so yummy, Shaun! Hark, the Herald Angels Do Sing!

Shaun’s Angel Delight

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup pecans, chopped small
1-(8 oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup of 12 oz. container Cool Whip, reserve extra for topping
2-(3 oz.) boxes French vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk
Shredded coconut

Directions Preheat oven to 350. To make crust, combine flour, butter, and nuts in medium bowl. Stir well to mix thoroughly then press into the bottom of a 9×13 pan; bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool well.

When crust has cooled, make the second layer by combining cream cheese, powdered sugar, and the Cool Whip in a large bowl and stirring well to thoroughly blend. Spread on top of crust.

Prepare the top layer by combining the instant pudding mix and milk in large bowl. Beat well with electric mixer until thickened. Spread on top of the second layer and top with reserved Cool Whip, shredded coconut, and more chopped nuts if desired. Chill well before serving.