Coconut Cream Pie

This fluffy, creamy, coconutty, pillowy high pie will be your next favorite pie. It has a golden coconut crust filled with even more coconut, whipping cream, and vanilla pudding and coconut milk. This is a coconut lovers dream pie. Then when you put out on the table and cut a slice, you just want to dig in. Perfect for spring and summer parties, BBQ's or just to make for dessert. So glad I found this recipe, it became a huge hit with everyone..

Ingredients For The Coconut Crust:

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 stick COLD unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3-5 Tb. ice cold coconut rum (you can substitute with water)

Ingredients For The Filling:

• 5.1 oz. box instant vanilla pudding
• 15 oz. can cream of coconut
• 1/2 cup coconut milk or milk
• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 Tb. powdered sugar or granulated sugar 
• 1 cup toasted coconut

Directions:

1. For the Crust: Cut the butter into small cubes and place in the freezer to make sure it's very cold. Place 1/3 cup shredded coconut in the food processor. Pulse to finely chop. Then add the flour and salt and pulse again. Pour a couple ounces of coconut rum over ice to chill. Then add the cold butter to the flour mixture and pulse until it's finely chopped and mixed into the flour. It should resemble coarse crumbs. One tablespoon at a time, pulse in the chilled coconut rum or water until it clumps together. It should be firm, not sticky. Usually takes 4 tablespoons. Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Once chilled, roll the dough out on a floured work surface, into a 14 inch circle. Hold one side of the pie crust over the rolling pin and carefully roll it over the top of the rolling pin to transfer it to the pie pan. Place the crust gently into the center of the pie pan. Turn the edges underneath and crimp the edges to seal. You can do this with a fork or with your fingers. Place a large piece of foil or parchment over the pie crust and gently shape it over the dough. Fill the foil or parchment with dried beans. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Then carefully remove the foil and beans. Then bake again for 10 minutes. Cool the crust completely before filling.
3. Spread the coconut out onto a baking sheet. Toast for 3-5 minutes, until just golden. Then remove and cool. Check every minute, or it will burn before you know it, you just want golden.
4. For the Filling: Place the instant pudding mix in a large glass mason jar or plastic container. Add the cream of coconut and milk. Cover tightly and shake for 1-2 minutes until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with 1 tsp. vanilla and 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar and beat for about 2-3 minutes until thick and fluffy, then transfer to another bowl, cover and refrigerate. Then beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Slowly, beat in the pudding mixture. Add a little at a time and scrape the bowl regularly, to ensure there are no clumps for about 2-3 minutes Finally fold in HALF the whipped cream. Carefully mix until smooth., do not over mix. 
6. Scoop the filling into the cooled pie crust. Top with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle generously with toasted coconut. Chill for at least 4 hour. Overnight is even better.

Slightly adapted from:

recipe from:http://www.aspicyperspective.com/2013/06/coconut-cream-pie-coconut-cream-recipes.html