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Coconut Chess Pie

Source of Recipe


Adapted from "Damon Lee Fowler's New Southern Baking"






List of Ingredients



• 1 partially baked 9-inch pie shell
  
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 4 large eggs
  
• 1/4 cup whole-milk buttermilk (or plain whole-milk yogurt thinned with milk to buttermilk consistency)
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 Tbsp light rum
  
• Salt
  
• 1 cup freshly grated fresh coconut (or unsweetened frozen coconut)
  
• Dark Chocolate Bourbon Sauce (recipe follows) or 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  






Instructions



1. After pie shell is partially baked, adjust oven temperature to 350° F and set the pastry aside to cool completely.
   
   
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the buttermilk, vanilla, rum, and a small pinch of salt. Fold in the coconut and pour mixture in cooled pie shell.
   
   
3. Bake in center of the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325° and bake until just set and a straw inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes longer. If filling begins to puff, it is overdone, so check it frequently after it has been baking 40 minutes total. Cool pie on wire rack, then chill thoroughly before serving slices drizzled with sauce or bittersweet chocolate that has been melted and slightly cooled.
   
   Makes 6 to 8 servings.
   
   ..........
   
   DARK CHOCOLATE BOURBON SAUCE
   
   • 1/3 cup sugar
   • 1-1/4 cups water
   • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped, or 8 ounces semisweet morsels
   • 1 tsp bourbon
   • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
   
   Put water and sugar in a 2-quart saucepan and stir until the sugar is almost dissolved. Put pan over medium-low heat and add the chocolate. Heat, stirring, until the chocolate is melted and smooth and almost simmering, about 5 minutes. Continue to stir and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until sauce is the consistency of thin cream or custard. Don't overcook or chocolate will taste scorched. Remove from heat.
   
   Off the heat, stir in bourbon and vanilla, and stir until slightly cooled. Strain and cool to room temperature. (This can be made a week ahead. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature, and thin with room-temperature water if needed, before serving.)
   
   Makes about 2 cups.