Chai Coconut Macaroon Pie, Friends & Good Times
This post is sponsored by Mazda USA. All opinions are all my own.
I recently had the opportunity to enjoy some well deserved time away with some of my blogging friends. I managed to fit in a mini blogging conference, girls night out (TWICE, big deal for me) and loads of good food.
To get me from point A to point crazy fun, I enjoyed zipping around in the brand spankin’ new 2018 Mazda CX-3. A gorgeous, cheerfully approved car that has all the bells and whistles needed. This is the kind of car that you would enjoy for work or pleasure trips, and well deserved weekends away.
One of my favorite things about this gorgeous car was the new color, a white pearl mica! So, do you remember those mood rings that would change according to how you felt, well this new color is kind of cool like that because it gives the appearance of difference colors depending on the light, pearly cool during the day, grey at night and sometimes it would throw in a shimmery silver once in a while. My other favorite thing about the Mazda CX-3, is how incredibly sweet the miles to the gallon is, I was getting 35 miles to the gallon easy, and that meant I had more money to spend on coffee to keep me going!
What a crazy, great week! Not only did I get to spend time at the conference, but I also managed to squeeze in a few foodie festivals around the Atlanta area, including the Taste of Home live tour and also a great evening learning all about the new fresh food items at Race Trac that are rolling out right now, nice!
Here’s a little “look see” from my week.
I love to experience the local flavors!
While away, we went to one of the best little restaurants in Huntersville, NC is called Eez, a fusion sushi hub of amazing food. On their menu, I found that I had a passion for the Chai Coconut Macaroon Pie, and had to do my best to recreate this beauty. Now, it’s never going to be the same as when you are served in a restaurant, and someone else gets to do the clean up, but dagnabit, I’m okay with this variation of their lovely dessert.
Probably the main reason for my love of this pie, is due to the coconut macaroon pie crust, it brings back great Christmas memories when my mom would make those tasty macaroons, and she would put plenty of chocolate chips in them, yum. So in a way, it’s a nostalgic nod to fond memories with my mom.
This pie is layered with flavors from that gorgeous macaroon crust to the coconut almond brittle, perfect for a dessert party, holiday gatherings or just because.
Enjoy!
Chai Coconut Macaroon Pie
A great dessert for dessert parties, holiday gatherings and just because, Chai Coconut Macaroon Pie!
Ingredients
- For the Macaroon Crust:
- 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
- 3 1/2 cups shredded Coconut
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- For the Filling:
- 1 1/2 cups Milk
- 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 3 Tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 tsp Vanilla Paste or Extract
- For the Chai Whipped Cream:
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 1/4 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground Cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground Ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground Cloves
- 4 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
- For the Brittle:
- 1/4 cup shredded Coconut
- 1/2 cup slivered Almonds
- 2 Tbsp Honey
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or use baking spray and prepare pie pan.
- In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the Macaroon Crust, mix well until blended.
- Add the mixture to the prepared pie pan, (lightly wet your hands so they won't stick to the mixture) press the mixture evenly along the bottom of pan and up the sides.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
For the Filling:
- In a small bowl or cup, mix the Cornstarch with about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the Milk, stir until well combined.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining Milk, Cream Sugar, and Salt, stirring frequently to prevent scalding, bring to just starting to boil, about 3 - 5 minutes
- Stir in the Cornstarch mixture, reduce the heat to low, and continue to stir until mixture has thickened, about 2 - 3 minutes
- Take off the heat and mix in the Vanilla, until well incorporated.
- Pour the Filling in the baked Macaroon Crust. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing the wrap to touch the filling so that it will keep it from forming a "skin". Place in the refrigerator and chill for 2 - 4 hours or until firm.
For the Whipped Cream Topping:
- Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add all of the ingredients for the Chai Whipped Cream to the large bowl, start off mixing on low, gradually increase to medium speed and mix until medium to stiff peaks form.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Almond Brittle Topping:
- In a pan over medium heat, add all of the ingredients for the brittle, stirring frequently, allow the honey to caramelize and toast until Almonds are just golden brown.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool on a plate or chopping board. Break in to pieces and use to top off the pie.
To Assemble:
When ready to serve, spread the Chai Whipped Cream over the chilled pie and garnish with the Almond Brittle.
Notes
The crust, whipped cream and brittle can be made up to a day in advance, storing covered in the refrigerator.
Once assembled, you can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Stacey is a Southern girl with a taste for travel, thriving on the discovery of the world through food. After spending many years traveling and living overseas, she’s now back home in her beloved deep south enjoying life with her three little ones and loving the adventure. She’s a food stylist and food photographer, as well as, the creative behind Little Figgy Food, where she loves to inspire others to try new flavors and foodie techniques.
is the shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened?
Hiya! I used sweetened shredded coconut for this recipe, it is rich but tasty good. I hope you enjoy!