A Recipe for Dreamy Chocolate-Coconut Cream Pie

Pichet Ong's beautiful cream pie pairs the floral flavors of coconut with complex, bittersweet chocolate. Back when Bangkok-born Ong lived in Asia, Kandos was the most popular local chocolate brand and he feasted on it happily. I did too, back in the day—I remember the milky Sri Lankan chocolates and still find the signature Kandos illustrations of happy white children at once charming and creepy.

But now Ong's a pastry chef—not a teenager with a sweet tooth—and he brings his sense of whimsy to stronger, deeper flavors. A toothsome crust holds a silky, rich filling, layered with flavor and impossibly creamy (Ong uses coconut cream, coconut powder and cream). For the crust, Ong adds toasted and ground jasmine rice, a common savory seasoning in Southeast Asian cooking. It might seem like an unusual addition, but the rice helps make one hell of a pie crust, adding an earthy aroma and a wonderful crunch. Topped with softly whipped cream and shaved bittersweet chocolate, this grownup pie is a real showstopper.

Chocolate-Coconut Cream Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie, about 10 servings
 

For the Pie Crust:
¼ cup uncooked jasmine rice, pan-toasted, cooled and ground in a coffee grinder
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring
¼ cup coconut powder
1 tablespoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter or lard, chilled and cut into ½-inch cubes
½ teaspoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons ice water

For the Coconut Filling:
½ cup coconut flakes
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 ½ cups coconut milk
½ cup whole milk
½ cup coconut powder
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the Topping:
1 ½ cup whipping cream
¼ cup sugar
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, grated or shaved

1. Put the rice powder, flour, coconut powder, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well-mixed, 30 seconds, then add the butter and pulse 10 times, or until the mixture resembles small peas. Add the vinegar and 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse 7 times, just until the dough sticks together when pinched. If the dough cannot be squeezed into a ball, add another tablespoon ice water and pulse 3 times. (If you're working by hand, mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl then cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers, and stir in the vinegar and water until the dough comes together.) Form the mixture into a ball, press it into a 1-inch thick disc, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, at least 1 hour. 
2. Lightly flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness, rotating the circle a quarter turn with each roll. Lightly flour the surface of the dough and loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin. Unroll the dough into a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie dish and press gently into the dish. Trim any excess dough along the edge of the dish and decoratively crimp the edge. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about a half hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line the pie dough with parchment paper and fill with weights, like dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 325ºF and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 20 minutes. The surface should be dry and the crust a deep golden brown. Cool completely. 
4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Spread the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, stirring once, until golden brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. 
5. Put the cream, coconut milk, milk, coconut powder, eggs, sugar, flour, and salt in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, about 7 minutes. The mixture will have thickened to a pastry cream consistency, somewhere between a thin batter and a thick liquid. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, chocolate and toasted coconut, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted. Let the filling come to room temperature, about half an hour.
6. Meanwhile, make the topping. In a large bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks, gradually adding the sugar, and set it aside in the fridge. Shave or grate remaining chocolate and set aside (you can use a knife, a peeler, or a box grater).
7. Pour the chocolate filling into pie shell and refrigerate for about an hour, or until set. Cover with whipped cream topping and chocolate shaving garnish and return to the fridge for about ten minutes. Slice and serve.

Tip:  Make sure the butter is cold before cutting it into the dry ingredients. You can even freeze it for 10 minutes if it isn’t completely chilled.

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