Pineapple Cream of Coconut Pie

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter melted
• 1.5 cups cream of coconut — use divided (Cocoa Lopez or Coco Real)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs crushed
• 0.3 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 8 oz pineapple in juice crushed canned
• 8 servings coconut or sweetened flaked for garnish
• 0.1 teaspoon vanilla 

Equipment

• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• oven
• mixing bowl
• pie form

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the crumbs, sugar and butter and press into a 9 inch deep dish pie plate.
3. Bake for about 7 minutes and let cool completely.
4. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and undrained pineapple in a small saucepan. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and goes from cloudy to translucent.
5. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
6. Let cool, then pour over the pie crust.In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until soft and creamy. Gradually add 1 cup of the cream of coconut and beat until blended, then add eggs one at a time and beat until blended.
7. Pour over pineapple mixture.Set the pie dish on a baking sheet and bake for 38 minutes at 350 degrees F.
8. Let cool for one hour, then chill for at least four hours.Beat the whipped cream until soft peaks form, then gradually fold in the reserved 1/2 cup of cream of coconut Note: You want to add the coconut cream gradually — before the cream is too stiff, but not while it’s still super soft. Continue whipping until cream holds its shape and is thick enough to spread. It should not be runny.
9. Spread across top of pie.Toast the coconut in a skillet.
10. Let cool slightly and sprinkle across the top.