Orange Toasted Coconut Cream Pie with Cherries and Stolen Rose Petals
Lu Valena
After talking to Jeremy and Melissa on that rainy day in June, I became obsessed with the idea of caramelized orange and coconut. Because of my multitude of food intolerances (and vegetarianism), I wasn’t able to try Jeremy’s dish myself, and so this obsession with the flavor profile continued to hound me.
When something like this gets ahold of me, it will continue to take over more and more of my brain until I act on it. The next day, riding the train to Boston Pride, I admitted to my friend that an entire half of my brain was just repeating: caramelized orange and coconut. Caramelized orange and coconut. Caramelized orange and coconut!
I attended the parade. I laughed. I cried. I applied a small temporary tattoo of a rainbow rain cloud to my neck. I thought about caramelized orange and coconut.
I went home. I sent emails. I went to the gym to practice my deadlift. I thought about caramelized orange and coconut.
The following morning I finally acted. What follows is a dessert I created in response to my conversation with Jeremy and Melissa.
Orange Toasted Coconut Cream Pie with Cherries and Stolen Rose Petals
For sweetener, I used a combination of maple syrup and coconut sugar, because I try to avoid cane sugar. I think the coconut sugar really adds a lovely depth to the flavor, but you could probably sub out regular sugar for the maple syrup if you prefer. Makes 1 pie.
Ingredients:
Your favorite, pre-baked pie shell (I used a regular pie shell, but a graham cracker crust or something similar would probably work very well here)
For the Filling:
½ C coconut flakes
2 eggs
¼ C maple syrup
¼ C coconut sugar
1 can unsweetened coconut cream
2 TBSP cornstarch
3 TBSP water
Zest of one orange
Dash of salt
For the Topping:
10 oz cherries, pitted
½ C orange juice
Splash maple syrup
1 TBSP cornstarch
For the Garnish:
2-3 roses stolen from your neighbor’s yard
Whipped cream (optional)
Toast the coconut flakes in a pan over low heat, stirring constantly, until it is deeply golden brown. Set aside.
Combine eggs, maple syrup and coconut sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the coconut cream, orange zest and salt, and whisk until smooth.
In a separate small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Place the bowl right next to the stove for easy access. I also recommend putting a few tasting spoons by the stove within easy reach – you don’t want to be running around the kitchen looking for them once the custard is cooking.
Pour the coconut cream mixture into a saucepan. Set it over low heat, stirring constantly. Add the cornstarch slurry and continue to cook, stirring constantly. Continue to cook until the mixture gets notably thicker and pudding-like. Don’t stop stirring! Dip a spoon into the mixture, and if it coats the back of the spoon, draw a line with your finger across the back of the spoon. If the line holds, it’s done.
Remove from heat. Stir in the toasted coconut flakes. Pour into the prepared pie shell. Cover custard with plastic wrap (press it right to the surface) so it doesn’t form a skin. Chill immediately, until ready to serve, at least 6 hours.
Combine the pitted cherries with the orange juice, maple syrup, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the fruit is soft and the mixture has thickened. Pour into a clean bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 200℉. Wash the roses well, dry them completely and separate them out into individual petals. Lay them out on a parchment-lined sheet pan (I used a Silpat). Dehydrate in the oven for 10 minutes, until they are slightly crispy (careful not to burn them). Remove from oven, immediately peel them off the parchment, and store in a separate small bowl until ready to serve.
To serve, peel the plastic wrap off the custard, and spread the cherry topping on top. Sprinkle rose petals on individual slices. Top with whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!