Add tropical warmth to your desserts with this coconut pastry cream which features coconut milk, coconut oil and toasted coconut. But the best part is you can easily adapt this recipe depending on the ingredients you already have and how much coconut flavor you’re after!
Ingredients
You’ll need the usual ingredients for making pastry cream. But we’ll replace the milk with coconut milk and add a few more ingredients for even more flavor. I’ll also share some alternatives in case you can’t find some of the ingredients.
- Coconut milk: Generally easy to find and adds a subtle coconut flavor. Make sure to use full fat coconut milk that comes in a can (not in the fridge with the milk). Don’t use light coconut milk which is too watery and has a very mild flavor. If you really can’t find coconut milk, just use regular milk (full fat) if you will be adding coconut oil and/or desiccated coconut.
- Heavy cream: Relying solely on coconut milk as the liquid yields a one-dimensional pastry cream that lacks a little bit of complexity. The heavy cream rounds off the flavor very nicely whilst adding richness. Alternatively, you can use whole milk if that’s all you have but I personally find that the pastry cream isn’t as flavorful.
- Eggs: To thicken the pastry cream. While I generally prefer to use just egg yolks in pastry cream, I found that replacing some of the yolks with a whole egg works really well in this recipe. You’ll get a lighter pastry cream (including the color) and less eggs to separate! But if you decide to replace the heavy cream with milk, I’d recommend using egg yolks only (as explained in the recipe card).
- Sugar: To sweeten the pastry cream. Feel free to tweak the amount a little depending on your preference. I would say this pastry cream is moderately sweetened, leaning to the sweeter side.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the pastry cream along with eggs.
- Unsweetened desiccated coconut: For even more coconut flavor and texture. I love toasting it first to get even more flavor out of it and then folding it into the warm pastry cream. For even more crunch, you could whisk the cold pastry cream and then fold in the toasted coconut just before serving. If you don’t like texture in your pastry cream however, you could simply omit it (resulting in a milder coconut flavor).
- Coconut oil: A nice butter substitute when making coconut pastry cream. Make sure to use unrefined (virgin), cold-pressed coconut oil for the best coconut flavor. If you don’t have any, you can replace it with butter. Just note that the coconut flavor won’t be as pronounced.
- Optional flavorings: A little bit of vanilla extract that pairs well with the coconut flavor and some rum for a nice kick. Just be careful not to overdo it as the coconut flavor is very delicate and can easily be overpowered by other flavors.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- We’ll start by toasting desiccated coconut in a saucepan. It’s ready when it’s lightly golden and your kitchen smells wonderfully coconutty. Transfer to a ramekin or heatproof container.
- Pour the coconut milk and heavy cream into the saucepan and heat until steaming.
- In the meantime, you can start whisking the eggs and sugar in a bowl.
- Then mix in the cornstarch until combined.
- Using a ladle, gradually pour the hot liquids into the egg mixture. Whisk constantly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs.
- Return everything to the saucepan and cook until thickened.
- Then off the heat, add the coconut oil (or butter).
- Give it a taste and add vanilla extract and rum if you’d like.
- You can then add the toasted coconut and use as desired.
You can pour the warm coconut pastry cream into a baked and cooled pie crust to make a delicious coconut cream pie. Alternatively, you can chill the pastry cream then use it to fill cream puffs and eclairs. Enjoy!
More Pastry Cream Flavors
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Coconut Pastry Cream
Add tropical warmth to your desserts with this coconut pastry cream which features coconut milk, coconut oil and toasted coconut.
Course: DessertCuisine: French, FusionDifficulty: Easy
Yield
870
gramsPrep time
10
minutesCook time
11
minutesChill time
2
hoursIngredients
30 g unsweetened desiccated coconut (1.1 oz., 1/3 cup), optional
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (400 mL, 1 and 2/3 cups)
240 g heavy cream, 35% fat (8.5 oz., 1 cup)
1 large egg (50 g/1.8 oz. without the shell), at room temperature
2 large egg yolks (about 35 g/1.2 oz.), at room temperature
160 g white granulated sugar (5.6 oz., 3/4 cup and 1 Tablespoon)
35 g cornstarch (1.2 oz., 1/4 cup)
30 g coconut oil (1.1 oz., 2 Tablespoons), cold
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
10 g rum (0.35 oz., 2/3 Tablespoon), optional
Directions
- Toasting the coconut, optional: Place the desiccated coconut in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until fragrant and lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a heatproof container and set aside. Tip: Keep a close eye on it as it can quickly go from golden to burnt.
- Pour the coconut milk and heavy cream into the saucepan and heat until steaming.
- Meanwhile, briefly whisk the whole egg and egg yolks together in a heatproof bowl. Add the sugar and immediately whisk to combine. Then mix in the cornstarch until smooth.
- Using a ladle, gradually pour the hot liquids into the egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly (to avoid cooking the eggs).
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly. When the pastry cream starts to thicken (about 5 minutes), lower the heat if needed and check for bubbles forming (stop whisking occasionally to check). Once you see bubbles, let it boil for about one minute (to get rid of any starchy taste) and remove from the heat.
- Gradually add the coconut oil in 3-4 additions, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla extract and rum then stir in the toasted coconut, if using.
- Use as desired: The warm cream can be poured into a baked and cooled 9 inch (23 cm) crust. Otherwise, transfer to a wide container (making a thin layer) to cool down quickly. Press a piece of parchment paper straight onto the surface of the cream (to prevent a skin from forming). Cool down slightly at room temperature (about 10 minutes) then chill until cold (at least 2 hours). Briefly whisk before using if needed.
Notes
- Yield: This recipe will yield about 870 g/30.7 oz. of pastry cream (2 and 3/4 cups).
- Make-ahead tips: Pastry cream will keep in the fridge, well covered, for up to 2 days.
- Desiccated coconut: Adds flavor and texture but can be omitted for a milder coconut flavor and smoother cream. If using desiccated coconut, you can just keep the toasted coconut in the saucepan (step 1) and pour the liquids over it. But I prefer folding it into the pastry cream once cooked (step 6), making it easy to set aside a portion for those who don’t enjoy texture in their pastry cream.
- Coconut milk: Use full fat coconut milk that comes in a can (not in the fridge with the milk). Briefly stir the can before using. For optimal coconut flavor and thickness, do not use light coconut milk. I use coconut milk which contains 18 g of fat per 100 mL. If you don’t have any, you can replace it with regular, whole milk if using coconut oil and/or desiccated coconut.
- Heavy cream: Could be replaced by whole milk but the cream won’t be as rich and flavorful. Use 5 egg yolks instead of 1 whole egg and 2 yolks.
- Coconut oil: Use unrefined (virgin), cold-pressed coconut oil for the best coconut flavor. Can be replaced with diced, unsalted butter (yielding a milder coconut flavor).
- Vanilla & rum: Use as much or as little as you’d like. Just note that coconut flavor is very delicate and can easily be overpowered by other flavors.
- Toasted coconut: Can be added to the cold pastry cream after whisking it (step 7) or simply sprinkled on the pastry cream before serving for more crunch.
- Optional: Strain the cooked pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of any lumps if needed, before adding the toasted coconut.
- For more pastry cream ideas, you can grab the printable pastry cream guide that lists several types of pastry creams and shows you at a glance what makes each one special.
- Want some egg white recipes? How about some coconut macaroons!
- Cup measurements: Please note that these measurements are approximate. For best results, I’d recommend weighing the ingredients, especially the cornstarch.