Coconut Cream Pie Delight

You could probably double this recipe for a 9″ x 13″ pan if you want to feed a crowd.

It might be rather untraditional to toast the coconut for the filling and you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I prefer the flavor of toasted coconut and it only takes a few minutes.

Try using canned coconut milk in place of the almond milk in the pudding for a richer, more coconutty dessert.

A digital thermometer is a very useful tool when making custards, but I made custard for years without one. Just cook it slowly as noted above until it noticeably thickens as the egg yolks set. Don’t bring it to a boil – that’s 212*.

If the custard gets lumpy, run it through a fine mesh sieve before adding the coconut flakes and chilling.

Briana’s Baking Mix vs THM Baking Blend: My baking mix is a little drier than THM Baking Blend, so I would try 1 1/3 cups THM Baking Blend in place of my baking mix in this recipe, then adjust from there as needed to make a crust that you can press into a pan.

Sweetener: As always, adjust the sweetener amount to taste to make sure you get a result that you like! Feel free to use your favorite low glycemic sweetener to taste in place of the THM Super Sweet Blend in the crust, pudding, and coconut topping. I used stevia in the whipped cream topping because I didn’t feel like powdering sweetener, but feel free to use your favorite sweetener in its place, to taste (powder it first). As written, the whipped cream topping is not all that sweet, so use your powdered sweeter of choice, to taste, if you want it sweeter.

Gelatin: I prefer Knox gelatin in custards like this because it dissolves better and results in a creamier, less curdly texture. Knox gelatin sets up stronger than beef gelatins like Great Lakes beef gelatin or THM Just Gelatin, so adjust the amount as noted in the ingredients.

Oat fiber: This versatile low carb flour can usually only be found online. Not all brands are created equal, but I like LifeSource oat fiber. Oat fiber is a really fine, dry flour that won’t make your custard gritty, and I don’t know of any great substitutes.

Glucomannan/xanthan gum: You can probably use xanthan gum in place of the glucomannan if you prefer, and vice versa. I have slight preferences for one over the other in different applications, which is why I used both in this recipe.

Coconut extract: I used McCormick brand. The amount listed isn’t very strong because I’m not a big fan of coconut extract. Taste and add more as desired. (Keep in mind that THM Natural Burst Coconut Extract is stronger than most grocery store extracts and add “to taste.”)

Saving calories: If you want to cut back on calories, you could try using ¾ cup of cream instead of 1 cup in the whipped cream topping, or just top each serving of dessert with a squirt of Reddi wip.

Allergy notes: Use gluten free oat fiber for a gluten free dessert. Use carton or canned coconut milk in place of the almond milk in the pudding for a nut free dessert. (Most people with tree nut allergies can have coconut, but check with your doctor first.) Check out page 398 of Convenient Food for a dairy free Coconut Cream Pie Bars recipe!