Classic Coconut Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Name: Classic Coconut Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons, unsweetened shredded coconut; 9 , graham crackers (about 5 ounces) broken into rough pieces; 2 tablespoons, sugar; 5 tablespoons, unsalted butter, melted; 1 (14-ounce) can, coconut milk, well stirred (not cream of coconut); 1 cup, whole milk; 1/2 cup (1 1/4 ounces/35 grams), unsweetened shredded coconut; 2/3 cup (4 2/3 ounces/132 grams), sugar; 1/4 teaspoon, salt; 5 , large egg yolks; 1/4 cup (1 ounce/28 grams), cornstarch; 1 1/2 teaspoons, vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons, unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces; 1 1/2 cups, heavy cream, chilled; 1 1/2 tablespoons, sugar; 1/2 teaspoon, vanilla extract; 1 1/2 teaspoons, dark rum (optional)

Desserts or Baked Goods
Dessert Pies

Appears in Cook's Illustrated May/June 2004, America's Test Kitchen TV

Most coconut cream pies are no more than coconut-dusted vanilla cream pies. Others use artificial flavoring and taste like suntan lotion. We wanted honest coconut flavor.

SERVES 8 to 10 (Makes one 9-inch pie)

TIME 1½ hours, plus 3 hours cooling

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