Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Cream Pie

Apparently, I've been on a pie kick lately.  Which doesn't usually happen because I'm not a pie person.  I'm much more of a cookie/cake person.  But, my sister on the other hand, looooves pie.  Put something into a pie crust and she'll devour it in no time.  So, after making that Caramel Brownie Toffee Cheesecake Pie, it got me thinking, what kind of pie should I make next?  Chocolate, peanut butter, lemon?  So many choices!  But, I've had this recipe for Coconut Cream Pie bookmarked for like, forever, and I finally decided it was high time I made it.

What I like about this recipe is that the filling is made completely from scratch and not a pudding mix.  Of course, that means it's going to be quite a bit more, shall we say, calorie-laden, what with the use of coconut milk and half-and-half.  Not to mention the fact that it called for a whipped cream topping made with, well, heavy cream, naturally.  I was sorely tempted to go all the way with this one, but I just couldn't do it.  So, I lightened things up by using light coconut milk and a fat-free Cool Whip topping (I know, the "fake" stuff, forgive me).  That said, however, I apparently had no problem with adding some of those calories back in by putting melted chocolate and macadamia nuts onto the crust.  You pick your battles.  :)

 

The result was a pie that was a dream come true.  The contrast of the dark chocolate against the slightly sweeter filling, as well as the smooth, velvety feeling of the cream on your tongue contrasting with the change in texture added by the toasted coconut in it.  This pie might have been lightened up, but it was by no means lacking.  In fact, it was so good, I'm making another one again this week.  Oh and as a sidenote, I also loved it frozen (but that's just me). 

Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Cream Pie (adapted from Favorite Family Recipes)

1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked
1 1/2 c. half and half
1 1/2 c. coconut milk (I used lite)
2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. flaked coconut, toasted 

1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 c. chopped macadamia nuts

 Cool Whip (8 oz. tub)

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes, or until smooth.  Spread on the bottom and sides of the baked pie shell.  Sprinkle half of the macadamia nuts onto the chocolate.

Combine the half and half, coconut milk, eggs, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla in a saucepan and keep whisking, over low heat, until it boils.  Keep cooking and whisking until the mixture thickens up to look like pudding, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Add 3/4 c. toasted coconut and the vanilla extract.  Pour into the pie crust and chill 2-4 hours.

Once it has chilled, top with the Cool Whip.  Sprinkle on the remaining toasted coconut and macadamia nuts.  Drizzle with more melted chocolate, if desired. 

Samoas Cupcakes

 

One of my friends is totally crazy about Samoas cookies.  Not that I can blame her.  Chocolate, coconut, and caramel is a pretty hard combo to resist.  I'm just as crazy about the Samoas ice cream that Dreyer's recently came out with. 

So, with Samoas on the brain, I decided to make my own version of a Samoas cupcake.  I used King Arthur Flour's golden cake recipe as the base, whipped up a caramel coconut filling, and topped it all off with rich chocolate ganache. 

Oh boy was it ever good.  I loved KAF's cake recipe.  It was so moist and fluffy and had a nice crumb and great vanilla flavor.  I think this will be my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe, at least for now.  With the yummy, gooey filling and luscious frosting, this was the best Samoas I've ever eaten.  Thank goodness that I had people I could give these cupcakes to, or else I would have devoured the whole batch.  It's nice to know that I can now have Samoas more than once a year.

Samoas Cupcakes (Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

Vanilla Cupcakes (King Arthur Flour)
2 c. sugar
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, soft
1 1/4 c. milk, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs

Caramel Sauce (In the Pink and Green)
1/2 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. salted butter, cubed
1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. heavy cream, at room temperature

10 Tbsp. sweetened shredded coconut

Chocolate Ganache 
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. heavy cream

For the cupcakes:  
Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners.

Cream the sugar with the butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and add the vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and sift the mixture.  Add half the mixture to the wet ingredients and beat to combine.  Add the milk and stir to combine.  Then, add the rest of the flour mixture and mix well to combine. 

Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tins.  Bake at 350F for 20-25 min. until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from the muffin pans and place on wire racks to cool. 

For the caramel coconut filling:  In a medium saucepan, cook the sugar over medium heat, whisking as it melts.  When it turns a deep amber color, add the butter and stir until melted.  Add the heavy cream and whisk till the caramel is smooth.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Add the shredded coconut till combined.   

For the ganache:  Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small bowl and heat for 1 min. at 50% power.  Stir and repeat the process as necessary till smooth.  Chill the ganache briefly until it reaches your desired consistency. 

For the assembly:  Cut a small cone from the center of each cupcake.  Fill with 1-2 tsp. of the coconut-caramel filling.  Spread with chocolate ganache. 

Makes 24 cupcakes

Lime and Coconut Crumble Bars

I found the recipe for these bars on Baking Bites and just knew that I had to make them. For one thing, I love lemony flavored desserts - lemon bars, lemon cookies, lemon cake, you get the point - so these lime bars were right up my alley. Plus, I had a lot of the ingredients already sitting around the house.

So, how did the bars turn out? Only one word - amazing. The combination of flavors and textures is incredible. The brown sugar shortbread base almost becomes like a layer of toffee or brittle with a wonderful caramelly undertone. As for the filling, well, lime and coconut is definitely a match made in heaven. They're creamy, dreamy, crunchy, coconutty, and sweet. Besides that, they're super easy to make. Have you started craving them yet?


As for my family, they loved these bars. They're even better when they're chilled. So refreshing and the lime filling sets up a little better. This is definitely a recipe that I will make again and again.

Lime and Coconut Crumble Bars (from Baking Bites)

1/2 c. salted butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. shredded coconut, sweetened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. lime zest

Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add in flour and baking powder. Mix in oats and coconut. Mixture will be somewhat dry and sandy. Combine condensed milk with lime juice and zest.

Put 2 cups of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer. Pour condensed milk mixture on top and spread evenly. Crumble all remaining oat mixture over the top of the lime mixture, covering it completely. Bake at 350F for 30 min. until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares. The bars can also be chilled in the fridge after cooling.