Haupia pie

Haupia is a traditional coconut milk-based Hawaiian dessert served at luaus (traditional feasts) and other celebrations throughout the islands. Ted’s Bakery, in Oahu, famously encased the dessert in shortcrust pastry and added a layer of chocolate custard to create Haupia pie. Since then, the pie has become so popular that even McDonald’s restaurants across Hawaii serve their own deep-fried version.

• serves

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 300 g frozen ready-rolled chocolate shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 560 ml (2¼ cups) coconut milk
• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 150 g (⅔ cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 65 g arrowroot, sifted
• 480 ml thickened cream
• 70 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped, melted
• 120 g (½ cup) sour cream
• toasted coconut flakes and cocoa powder, to serve

Chilling time overnight

Instructions

Line a 22 cm pie tin with pastry, trim edges and prick all over with a fork. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line pastry with baking paper and fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove beans and paper and bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is dry to touch. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Place coconut milk, milk, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan with a pinch of salt over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then combine ½ cup mixture with arrowroot, stirring in a jug until smooth. Add arrowroot mixture into milk mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes or until very thick and gelatinous. Beat in 240 ml cream until combined. Remove from heat and pass through a fine sieve.

Divide mixture in half. Stir melted chocolate into one half. Spoon plain mixture into pie case, then spoon chocolate mixture over the top. Refrigerate overnight to softly set. Once set, beat sour cream and remaining 240 ml cream together in an electric mixer until smooth and thick. Spread over pie, scatter with coconut and dust with cocoa, to serve.

Photography by Ben Dearnley.

As seen in Feast magazine, May 2014, Issue 31. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.