Coconut Cream Chocolate Pie

For the Crust:
Use one disk Chocolate Pâte Sucrée recipe (see recipe below)
Cooking spray

For the Filling:
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup half-and-half
1½ cups flaked sweetened coconut
â…” cup sugar
â…“ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
¼ cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Fit Chocolate Pâte Sucrée into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under and flute. Pierce pastry bottom with a fork. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely on wire rack.

Combine milk and half-and-half in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1½ cups coconut. Combine â…” cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, vanilla, and egg yolks in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add milk mixture to egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly. Return milk mixture to pan; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter, whisk until smooth. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 6 minutes, stirring to cool. Pour into prepared pie crust. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Place 3 egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Combine ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 250°F. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed until thick. Spread meringue over pie. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Top with toasted coconut before serving.
Yields: 12 servings (one pie)

Chocolate Pâte Sucrée

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons water

Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Add yolk and drizzle with 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture. Pulse until mixture just begins to hold together (dough should not be wet or sticky). If too dry, add more water.

Shape dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Yields: 1 disk

Recipes adapted from Souders Studios Pies