Triple Coconut Cream Pie

First, apologies to my friends fighting high cholesterol or embarking on diets.  Don't read, please.  

I promised my friends at our community Christmas Potluck that I'd post this perfect holiday pie recipe--an easy no-bake confection, tasty and fluffy.

Triple Coconut Cream Pie
Serves 6-8 
Prepare crust first:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup flour, less 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons wheat germ**
1/2 cup flaked coconut
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt  
**wheat germ gives a nutty flavor but you can add 2 Tblsp. flour instead.

Directions:
*Grease 9 inch pie pan.
*In a skillet, melt butter over low heat.  
*Stir in remaining ingredients.  
*Turn heat up a bit and stir constantly until mixture is deep golden brown.  (You want the flour to cook and the mixture to toast.)
*Use a spoon to press the hot mixture into pie pan.  
*Set aside to cool.  Crust will firm as it cools.

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided use
1 cup sugar, divided use
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups flaked coconut, divided use
1/4 tsp table salt

*Put  3/4 cup coconut in a dry skillet and toast until lightly browned, tossing frequently.  Set aside to cool.
*Whip cream, gradually adding 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 cup sugar, whipping to stiff peaks. Set aside.
*Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and 1 tsp. vanilla until light and fluffy.
*Fold cream cheese and 1 1/4 cups coconut into the whipped cream.  Mound in cooled crust, swirling the top to a small center peak.
*Sprinkle toasted coconut on top. 
*Refrigerate at least two hours to set filling.

And last, follow my neighbors' lead and treat yourself to a few mouthfuls of sweet tangy coconutty celebration.

Thanks to my friend Linnea Schlobohm for her pictures!

Copyright 2009-2010 Kathleen Scott, for Hill Country Mysteries. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.