White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pie with Coconut Whipped Cream

My wardrobe is all red, white & blue this week and I can already hear the fireworks cracking.  Tomorrow is the 4th of July and I am pretty darn excited. 

My list of favorite holidays goes as follows: Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th of July, and Valentine's Day.

The 4th is always an occasion in our family.  We take our glowsticks and ocean-side picnics very seriously. 

Last week, I shared a taste of my childhood in the form of pasta, and today I have the perfect dessert to serve alongside!  After all, what's more American than white chocolate macadamia nut pie with coconut whipped cream?  Not much I don't think. 

Essentially, I took one of my very favorite cookies and turned it into pie.  It is the love child of pecan pie and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, and it turns out to be one of the best things in this world.  

Several months ago, a family member from "down-south" placed a dazzling jar of Golden Eagle syrup into my very eager hands. 

For those of you who do not know, Golden Eagle syrup is an Alabama staple and do not even think about making a pecan pie without it.

Its flavor is far from that of maple syrup, but it boasts a much fuller richness than standard corn syrup.  The faint, caramel-y notes accent the nuts and white chocolate perfectly, without making this wonderfully sticky pie overly sweet. 

Aside from the whipped cream, this pie actually holds up remarkably well in the heat - a definite advantage when it comes to backyard picnics in Virginia. 

Because this pie has few ingredients, it is especially important that they be quality.  Try to find the very best white chocolate chips you can get your hands on, or, just roughly chop your favorite white chocolate bar. 

Coconut whipped cream is barely-sweet and nods to the tropical notes of this pie. 

Happy, happy weekending, friends!  Here's to celebrating this country we are blessed enough to be apart of, and eating allll the things in the process. 

Be safe and be merry! 

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

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WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT PIE

WITH

COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM

crust recipe adapted from The Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book

for the crust

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)

• 1/2 cup cold water

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup ice

• egg wash (1 egg white whisked with 1 teaspoon water)

Sift to combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.  

Transfer the sifted flour mixture to the work bowl of your food processor.  Add cubed butter and pulse several times until the butter is worked in and in pea-sized pieces.  The mixture should be coarse and crumbly.  

Combine water, vinegar, and ice in a small bowl.  Add the cold water mixture to the rough dough several tablespoons at a time, pulsing 1-2 times after each addition.  Add just enough liquid to bring the dough roughly together.  Turn the dough out onto your countertop and shape into a disc.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  

After the dough has chilled, place on a floured surface and roll out into a 12 inch circle.  Fold the circle in half and lay the crust across one side of a 9-inch glass pie pan.  Unfold the disc so that the crust covers the pan, and gently smooth out any creases in the crust.  Trim away any excess crust beyond 1 1/2 inches before forming the edge of the crust by folding and pinching.  Place the prepared crust in the refrigerator to rest for thirty minutes.  Use a fork to puncture the bottom of the crust several times and transfer to the freezer for ten minutes.  

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Line the chilled crust tightly with aluminum foil, wrapping the foil around the crimped edges, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake for 20 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned.  Remove from the oven and brush with egg wash, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes to brown.  While the crust is cooling prepare the filling.  

for the filling

• 3 large eggs

• 3/4 cup Golden Eagle syrup (corn syrup will work in a pinch)

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 1/4 cups roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts

• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

In a large bowl whisk to combine eggs, syrup, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla extract.  Fold in macadamia nuts and white chocolate and pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. 

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the filling jiggles just slightly. 

Place the pie on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before refrigerating for 1 hour. 

While the pie chills, prepare the whipped cream. 

for the coconut whipped cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1/2 cup coconut cream

• 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

Combine heavy cream and confectioner's sugar in the work bowl of your stand mixer.  Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, then beat in coconut cream. 

Transfer the whipped cream to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Top the chilled pie with the prepared whipped cream and serve immediately.  Enjoy! 

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