Coconut Cream Pie (From Anna Olson)

Yield: 12

Makes 1 9-inch pie. This coconut cream pie has a sugar cookie crust, which complements the coconut cream filling wonderfully.

GINGERSNAP CRUST (or you can use bought gingersnaps)

3/4 cup + 1/3 cup unsalted butter or vegetable shortening at room temperature
1 cup golden brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup fancy molasses
1 large egg
2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
Sugar, for coating

COCONUT FILLING

2/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
2-1/4 cups coconut milk
2 whole large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup unsweetened coconut, lightly toasted

CREAM TOPPING

1-1/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp skim milk powder
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, lightly toasted

To Assemble

FOR GINGERSNAPS, preheat oven to 350 °F. Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Stir in fancy molasses and beat in egg. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Add to butter mixture and stir just until blended. Shape spoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet and press flat with the palm of your hand. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and remove from baking sheet to cool.

FOR CRUST, grind cooled cookies finely and measure out 2 ¼ cups of crumbs. Melt remaining 1/3 cup butter and stir into crumbs. Press into a 9-inch pie pan (or 2 6-inch springform pans) and chill until ready to fill.

FOR FILLING, stir sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a heavy-bottomed saucepot. Whisk in coconut milk, whole eggs and egg yolks. Heat custard on low heat, whisking constantly for 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and continue whisking until custard thickens and becomes glossy, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Stir in vanilla, butter and coconut and stir until butter has melted. Pour immediately into chilled pie shell, let cool on the counter for 15 minutes, then chill completely before topping with cream, at least 4 hours.

FOR CREAM TOPPING, whip cream to a medium peak, and whisk in sugar and skim milk powder (the skim milk powder stabilizes the cream). Top coconut custard with whipped cream, and sprinkle remaining toasted coconut on top as garnish.