Spring is official here! Never mind the snow on the ground. The landscape is finally stirring from winter’s stupor. This is reflected at the grocery stores where the produce section is getting more colorful and exciting. Asparagus and mangoes, two of my favorites are abundant right now. I bought several mangoes last week and used two to make this wonderful Mango Coconut Cream Pie. If you love mangoes, you have to give this pie a try. You will not be disappointed.
The color of the mango coconut custard is a cheerful yellow that speaks of spring. It is sweet and tangy and combines beautifully with the whipped cream topped with toasted coconut flakes. The fragrant and tasty crust is gluten free and has almond meal in it. If you prefer a more traditional crust, please check out my Pandan Cream Pie for a Graham cracker crust.
I used Bird’s custard powder to make the custard layer but Jell-o Cook & Serve coconut cream pudding and pie filling will also work. To cook the pudding, use only 1 cup of milk and the mango puree as specified in the recipe instead of 2 cups of milk as specified in the packaging instructions. Bird’s custard powder may be purchased at the World Market here in the United States.
The recipe below was inspired by Mary’s Tropical Coconut Pie. Do visit Lovefoodies for more warm or chilled desserts, puddings, and pies.
- Gluten-Free Almond Meal Crust
- ½ cup (90g) potato starch, plus extra for dusting
- ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour
- ½ cup (75g) brown rice flour
- ½ cup (50g) almond meal
- 1 stick (½ cup/115g) cold salted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- 2 mangoes
- 1 cup (240ml) + 2 tbsp coconut milk
- ¼ cup (55g) sugar
- 2 tbsp Bird’s custard powder
- ½ cup (30g) coconut flakes
- 1 pint (2 cups/480ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Put potato starch, tapioca flour, brown rice, almond meal, powdered sugar in food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and sugar. Pulse again until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add half-and-half and pulse again until a sticky dough forms.
- Turn dough onto a large sheet of wax paper. Knead gently until dough holds together. At this point, dough is sticky but pliable. Place another sheet of wax paper on top of dough. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a 12-inch circle.
- Peel off the top layer of wax paper. Invert onto a 8 or 9-inch pie dish, patching if needed. Trim and crimp edges as desired. Prick side and bottom with a fork.
- Line crust with double layer of foil and bake for about 15 minutes.
- Peel and seed mangoes. Puree the flesh in a food processor or blender. This should yield about 1½ cups mango puree.
- Place coconut milk, sugar, and custard powder in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir until custard becomes thick and bubbly. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Pour in mango puree and let it heat through.
- When pie crust is done, remove from oven. Remove foil. Pour filling into crust and return to oven.
- Baked for 15 to 20 minutes or until pie crust is golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Cover with foil and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- Toast coconut flakes in a pan over medium low heat until light brown in color. Remove and allow coconut flakes to cool completely.
- Chill bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge for two hours. Pour cold cream and sugar into chilled bowl. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over filling.
- Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes over the top of whipped cream.
- Slice and serve immediately.
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
What a wonderful pie Linda! I’m so curious about your pie crust recipe too as I haven’t used those ingredients when making pie pastry. Now you have inspired me in return. Thank you for mentioning Lovefoodies.
Mary
Thanks Mary! I really like this pie crust and have made it several times. It is nice and flaky, perfect for cream pies. No one would know it is gluten free as the ground nuts make it really tasty. 🙂
Hi Linda, what an elegant looking pie! The combination of mango and coconut is really awesome. I’ve never come across gluten free almond meal crust, does it look like the normal almond meal? Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Thanks Veronica! Almond meal is simply ground almond. Ground nuts provide gluten free crust with a lot of flavor.
I love this combination. I will eat anything mango.. sweet or savory. 🙂 I love the custard powder… my mother brought me something similar from Sri Lanka. 🙂
Look forward to trying this.