Chocolate Coffee Coconut Pie

This chocolate coffee coconut pie layers three of the most flattering flavors in the dessert world into a single silky custard. Coconut milk replaces some of the dairy in a classic chocolate cream pie, lending tropical richness and a faint sweetness that softens the unsweetened chocolate. Instant coffee crystals (just half a teaspoon) don’t make the pie taste like coffee. They deepen and intensify the chocolate, the way salt does in baking.

The technique is a textbook stovetop custard, with two crucial moves that separate success from disaster.

First, the cornstarch must be whisked into the dry sugar before any liquid hits, or it will form lumps that never disappear. Second, the egg yolks must be tempered (gradually warmed with a cup of hot custard before being added back to the pan) or they’ll scramble into curds at the first hint of direct heat.

The two-minute cook after the bubbles start is what activates the cornstarch fully and ensures the pie sets properly. Skip this and you have chocolate soup.

A generous six-hour chill in the refrigerator gives the custard time to set into the silky, sliceable texture that defines a great cream pie.

Pro Tips

• Pre-bake the pie shell to a deep golden brown. A pale crust under wet custard turns into a soggy mess.
• Use unsweetened baker’s chocolate, not chocolate chips. Chips contain stabilizers that resist melting smoothly.
• Whisk constantly during the cook. Custard scorches the moment you stop stirring.
• Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pie before chilling to prevent a skin from forming.

Variations

• Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes just before serving.
• Use a chocolate cookie crumb crust instead of pastry for an even more chocolaty pie.
• Add a tablespoon of rum or coffee liqueur with the vanilla for an adult version.