Coconut Custard Pie - Baking with the Cake Boss Review

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was fortunate to be sent a complimentary copy of Buddy Valastro's new book, Baking with the Cake Boss. As many of you know, Buddy is the owner of Carlo's Bake Shop in Hoboken and he is the star of the TV shows, Cake Boss and the Next Great Baker. His first book, Cake Boss: Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia, actually more memoir than cookbook, was a best seller, and I suspect this book will be as well. While there is something here for everyone, I believe the real audience for this book will be master bakers and those who love specialty cakes and working with fondant and modeling chocolate. I have no talent with a pastry bag, so I concentrated my attention on the first fifty of the one hundred recipes in this book. Instructions throughout the book are clear and concise and the photographs that accompany each recipe are gorgeous and instructive. The book begins with chapters that cover equipment and ingredients and then moves progressively from simple cookies and pastry to advanced cake design. As I paged through the recipes, it was easy to see that they had been made as approachable as the cake boss himself. While I'm not yet brave enough to attempt the advanced techniques, those of you who are already skilled and want to learn still more, will be thrilled with the instructions that accompany his specialty cakes. There are cakes here for all occasions, including an elaborate safari cake for the truly adventurous to try. I focused my attention on the simpler cookies and pies in the earlier portions of the book, and can wholeheartedly recommend his brownie clusters and pine nut cookies. I decided to feature his recipe for coconut custard pie in today's post. Here's the recipe for a pie that is both easy and delicious.

Coconut Custard Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Buddy Valastro and Baking with the Cake Boss

Ingredients:

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust with edges crimped

4 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch ground nutmeg

1-1/2 cups warm milk

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

1) Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

2) Put eggs, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk them together. Add heavy cream gradually, while whisking. Whisk in vanilla and, nutmeg and warm milk.

3) Put pie pan on a baking tray. Sprinkle coconut into pie shell, being sure to spread it evenly.

4) Pour in enough of custard mixture to come 3/4 of way up sides of pie shell. As you pour in custard, coconut will rise; use a toothpick to stir custard and evenly distribute it, being careful not to cut into bottom of pie crust. Transfer remaining custard into a large spouted measuring cup.

5) Put tray containing pie on middle rack of oven. Pour in enough of reserved custard to come just up to top of pie shell. (You may have extra custard; don't worry if you do but don't overfill pie shell.)

6) Bake until top of pie is golden and doesn't shake at all when you agitate pan, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove tray from oven and let pie cool, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Pie can be served after initial chill or refrigerated for up to two days. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.