Creamy Coconut Pie

Prepare the crust (1 pie) by either using a store-bought crust or blind-baking a homemade vegan pie crust. Place it in a pie dish, add pie weights or parchment paper with beans (2 cups) to prevent shrinking. Bake until golden brown, then remove and chill overnight. Ensure it is completely cooled before filling.

In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk (1 can), vegan white sugar (0.67 cups), and salt (0.25 teaspoon) over medium heat. Bring to a boil for minutes (2) then reduce the heat to medium-low. Start 2m timer

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch (0.25 cup) with 0.5 cup of the warmed [coconut milk] mixture until smooth.

Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining [coconut milk] mixture. Let it thicken, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.

Remove the thickened mixture from the heat. Stir in the sweetened shredded coconut (1 cup), unsalted plant butter (0.25 cup), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon). Optional: add a few drops of coconut extract for extra flavor (not provided in ingredient list).

Pour the warm filling into the chilled [pie crust].

Cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap, ensuring the wrap touches the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming.

Refrigerate for hours (3) or overnight until the pie is thoroughly chilled and set. Start 180m timer

Once chilled, prepare the for coconut whipped topping (2 recipes) and spread generously over the pie.

Optionally, garnish with some toasted coconut flakes. To make toasted coconut: bake shredded coconut (1 cup) at 300°F (150°C) for minutes (6) to minutes (8) or until lightly browned.