By Shel Zolkewich (@shelzolkewich)
Coconut Chocolate Pie
I’m of the opinion that a person’s ability to make pie pastry from scratch is firmly imbedded in his or her genetic code. You either have the chromosomes, or you don’t. For those who can create a flaky and delicious pie crust, my heartfelt thanks goes out to you. For the rest of us, premade products luckily save our collective bacon.
A trip to the frozen aisle of the grocery store yields limited options. But a little effort can go a long way in stepping up your pie creation. Simply get your hands on locally-made Piccolo Cucina almond pie shells. Made from almonds, these shells are free from dairy, gluten, corn, soy, grains and yeast. Besides that, they have a fantastic texture that straddles the crispy/chewy line.
In addition to the shells, Piccolo Cucina also makes macaroons. Addictive macaroons that come in six flavours including pistachio, lemon and coconut. Like the shells, they are made using almond flour and free of dairy, gluten, corn, soy, grains and yeast.
Coconut Chocolate Pie
- 2 Piccola Cucina sweetened almond pie shells
- 1 can coconut milk (400 ml)
- 1 ½ cups bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup shredded coconut or ½ cup dried coconut strips
Bake empty pie shells according to package directions. This takes about 12 minutes. Melt chocolate in the microwave. Heat on high for one minute, remove, stir and heat for an additional 20 seconds. Stir well. Add melted chocolate and coconut mil to a blender and blend until smooth, about two minutes. Pour into shells. Chill for four hours. Top with shredded coconut or dried coconut strips. Makes two pies.
Manitoba Ingredients:
Piccolo Cucina Almond Pie Shells
