Coconut Banana Cream Pie...

Simply put, If you love coconut, this will be, guaranteed, the best pie you have ever eaten...hands down! I never knew this pie existed before...but now I have found heaven on a plate....hmmmm....and easy? yep, you don't need an oven to make this...or even a rolling pin. 

COCONUT PIE SHELL 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus more for pie plate 

3 cups sweetened flake coconut 

Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate and set aside. 

Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the coconut flakes, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. They should be golden brown. Press the coconut firmly and evenly in the pan to form a shell. Chill the crust 30 minutes before filling. 

VANILLA CREAM FILLING

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of corn starch

3 cups half and half

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine sugar and cornstarch, gradually stir in half and half...Cook and stir over medium high hear till thickened and bubbly, cook and stir an additional 1 minute,remove from heat. Slightly beat the egg yolks and while beating slowly add about a cup of hot filling to the eggs...then slowly add the egg mixture back into the pan of filling, while beating the filling...return to the heat and cook, stirring at all times and cook for an additional 2 minutes...place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator. 

To assemble, slice 2 bananas in the bottom of the pie crust, spread the filling over bananas and top with lightly sweetened whip cream and sprinkle lightly with additional browned coconut...

melt 1 half cup of butter in pan and then add 3 cups of sweetened coconut...

just starting to color....

very golden...this turns darker very quickly...DONT walk away.....

yep I walked away...press into a 9 inch pie shell..save a small amount aside for topping....place shell in the refrigerator...

make the filling.....cornstarch, half and half and sugar....heat till bubbly hot...

add to beaten egg yolks, the next tempering steps happen way too quick to take pictures...you must have all hands on deck!

place finished filling in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap...place in the fridge..

after cooling for a few hours....take the crust out and add sliced bananas...

add the pudding filling...and top with whip cream and remaining toasted coconut....

this pie could win a pie contest....positively the most fabulous pie in the world!!! I want every one of you to have some of this pie...right now, this very minute...the crust is almost nutty, it is crunchy, but not to crunchy, the filling is soft and rich and perfectly sweet...what are you waiting for?

Cheers to Happy  !!