I am missing twist ties...you know, those little things that come with plastic bags and seem to breed in the kitchen drawer? For the last several years now I've only purchased Zip-Lock bags, which do not come with twist ties...and every time I've needed a twist tie, like to secure Caesar-Beezer-The-Wonder-Dog's poop to his collar when we walk (I may sleep with the dog on my bed but I'm not about to carry his poop!) I've reached into my vast supply and pulled one out...well, my vast supply is no longer vast...in fact, it's depleted! And just where does one buy twist ties?!? I have no idea but I am missing them! If you have extra twist ties and want to send them to a good home let me know and I'll tell you where to send them - I'm not kidding!
This pie is, in a word, decadent. Deliriously so. The chocolate filling is silky smooth and richly dense, it's almost fudge like yet not. The whipped cream is needed to cut the chocolate just a bit, so don't forget to put some on - fresh too, not that fake stuff in the plastic tub! Now, let me tell you about the crust...I've made coconut crusts before, with some very intricat e recipes and they've turned out great but none of them compare to this! This crust has two ingredients - coconut and butter - so tell me how can one go wrong?!? Melted butter, mixed with the coconut and pressed into the pie tin and then baked until the coconut is toasted and full of chewy flavor...I'm telling you, you will LOVE this pie...so much so that you'll want to include a thank you to me when you send me your twist ties!
I just can't leave this pie alone - one forkful at a time I end up eating the entire thing! The mister does not like chocolate desserts - he only eats "white" desserts...which makes him a dessert racist. I did take a few pieces to some friends, if only to save myself the calories - it was a hard, hard thing to do!
Chocolate Cream Pie in a Coconut Crust - Adapted from Several Sources, including King Arthur Flour and Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book
Crust:
2 cups flaked coconut
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Combine coconut and melted butter. Press into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or till coconut is a light golden brown. Cool completely.
Filling:
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream, divided
3 large egg yolks
2 cups milk
Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate for shavings on top
To make the filling: Place the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt. Add 1/4 cup of cream, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Repeat with another 1/4 cup of cream. Whisk in the egg yolks. Place the saucepan over medium heat, and gradually whisk in the remaining cream, and the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly as the mixture thickens; boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture over the reserved chocolate and butter, stirring until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Pass the filling through a strainer to remove any lumps. Place plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and chill thoroughly.
To make the topping: Whip the heavy cream till it starts to thicken. Add the sugar and vanilla and whip until the cream is as stiff as you like.
To assemble the pie: Spoon the cooled filling into the baked and cooled crust. Top with the whipped cream. Use a grater to create chocolate shavings for the top of pie. Serves 8 normal people or one glutton.
"A lot of disappointed people have been left standing on the street corner waiting for the bus marked 'Perfection.'" ~ Donald Kennedy
