DELUXE COCONUT CREAM PIE

Steps:

• To make the pastry cream, combine the milk and coconut in a medium saucepan.
• Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both the seeds and pod to the milk mixture.
• Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and stir occasionally until the mixture almost comes to a boil.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour until well combined.
• Temper the eggs (to keep them from scrambling) by pouring a small amount (about 1/3 Cup) of the scalded milk into the egg mixture while whisking.
• Then add the warmed egg mixture to the saucepan of milk and coconut.
• Whisk over medium-high heat until the pastry cream thickens and begins to bubble.
• Keep whisking until the mixture is very thick, 4 to 5 minutes more.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat.
• Add the butter and whisk until it melts.
• Remove and discard the vanilla pod.
• Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and place it over a bowl of ice water.
• Stir occasionally until it is cool.
• Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a crust from forming and refrigerate until completely cold.
• The pastry cream will thicken as it cools.
• When the pastry cream is cold, fill the prebaked pie shell with it, smoothing the surface.
• In an electric mixer with the whisk, whip the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla on medium speed.
• Gradually increase the speed to high and whip to peaks that are firm enough to hold their shape.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the whipped cream and pipe it all over the surface of the pie, or spoon it over.
• For the garnish, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Spread the coconut chips on a baking sheet and toast in the oven, watching carefully and stirring once or twice, since coconut burns easily, until lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Use a vegetable peeler to scrape about 2 ounces of the white chocolate into curls.
• On The Plate: Cut the pie into 6 to 8 wedges and place on dessert plates.
• Decorate each wedge of pie with white chocolate curls and the toasted coconut.
• A Step Ahead: If not serving immediately, keep the pie refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap.
• The finished pie should be consumed within a day.
• Prepare the garnishes just before serving.
• The coconut pastry cream can be made a day ahead and stored chilled in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap as described above.
• Fill the pie shell and top it with whipped cream and garnishes when you are ready to serve the pie.