So I wanted to do something a little different this year and maybe a bit alcoholic. Now trying to incorporate alcohol into a cream pie can be a little tricky, but it can taste REALLY yummy. After all, that's all the flavoring in the Butterscotch and Butter Rum pies are, lots of butter and a few shots of hooch. The hard part is mirroring the sensations of a beverage. So I thought I'd try something simple to start with: Pina Colada. It's basically a coconut cream pie with pineapple and a little bit of rum flavoring (booze). It turned out better than I expected. The first taste is a rich and creamy coconutty sensation, then a second later the acidity of the pineapple cuts through. And finally, as you take a breath, the rum vapors waft up through your sinuses.
The first time I tried it, I used a basic pie crust and it was just fine. But I'm trying it with a graham cracker crust to see if it will work. And the graham crackers could absorb a little more rum. One recommendation: use good rum. Don't go for the cheap stuff. The first rule of cooking with alcohol is don't use anything you wouldn't drink on it's own. I use some Appleton's Spiced Rum that I brought back from a business trip from Jamaica, but you can use anything you enjoy. And for those of you who are worried about getting drunk off a slice of pie, don't. The entire recipe has 2 shots in it, so each slice would have 1/4 shot, nowhere close to the amount needed for you do start dancing with a lampshade on your head.
Pina Colada Pie
Crust
12 oz. graham crackers
6 tbsp butter
1 shot rum or 1 tsp rum flavoring (if you are REALLY worried about the alcohol)
Place the graham crackers in a food processor and chop them up fine, or place them into a ziploc bag and crush them up with a rolling pin or your hand. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then add the rum. Mix in the crushede graham crackers until the liquid is absorbed. Then press into a pie plate and cook in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.
Filling
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 3/4 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup crushed fresh pineapple w/juice
1 shot rum (choose your favorite)
Place the egg yolks in a small container and beat them. Set them aside for later. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and mix. Pour in the milks and the whipping cream and mix until the sugar and cornstarch is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. As you continue to stir the mixture, add a little into the egg yolks and stir quickly. This warms up the yolks so they don’t curdle. Repeat a few times, then slowly add the yolks into the saucepan. Mix thoroughly for one minute. Add the butter and vanilla and stir for one more minute. Remove from heat and add the coconut, pineapple and rum. Continue to stir until everything is thoroughly combined. Pour the contents into the crust. Let sit on the counter for 30 minutes to cool, then cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
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