4.50 from 2 votes

A crunchy shortbread crust is the perfect base for this coconut cream pie bar recipe. With a layer of chocolate ganache in between, these bars will quickly become your favorite dessert.

📋 Recipe

Coconut Cream Pie (and Chocolate) Bars

A crunchy shortbread crust is the perfect base for this coconut cream pie bar recipe. With a layer of chocolate ganache in between, these bars will quickly become your favorite dessert.

4.50 from 2 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1 20

Total Time: 1 50

Servings: Servings

Calories: 336kcal

Author: Ben Rayl

Ingredients

for the crust:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup coconut - shredded
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter - cold, cut into small pieces

for the chocolate ganache:

10 oz dark chocolate - coarsely chopped
⅓ cup heavy cream

for the coconut cream filling:

3 cups whole milk
2 cups coconut milk
4 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar - plus 2 tbsp
¾ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cup coconut - shredded

for the whipped cream topping:

½ cup coconut - shredded and toasted
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

to make the crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C) and grease a 9x13 baking pan. Line the bottom with baking paper, then grease the paper.
Mix the flour, coconut, powdered sugar and salt together in a large bowl until well blended.
Add the butter and mix in with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the dough resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and bake until golden brown - about 25 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes.

to make the chocolate ganache:

While the crust is baking, make the chocolate ganache.
Combine the chocolate pieces and cream in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of boiling water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and blended with the cream.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then spread the chocolate over the cooled crust.
Put the chocolate covered crust in the fridge to chill until the ganache has hardened and the crust is completely cool - about 1 hour.

to make the coconut filling:

While the crust is chilling make the coconut cream filling.
Stir the whole milk and coconut milk together in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk constantly until the mixture boils and becomes very thick then remove from heat, run through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, then stir in the vanilla and coconut.
Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then pour the custard over the cooled ganache and refrigerate until chilled - about 4 hours.

to make the whipped cream topping:

Toast the coconut by placing it in a skillet and cooking over medium heat until golden brown - about 5 minutes, stirring or tossing often so it doesn't burn. Set aside and allow to cool.
Pour the whipping cream into a large bowl, add the powdered sugar and mix with electric mixer on medium speed until thickened and soft peaks form.
Cut the chilled custard filled crust into bars and remove from their pan. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and decoratively pipe onto each bar, then sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Serve chilled.