Tag Archives: pina colada

After some deliberation I’ve decided to start a baking blog. As luck would have it, this very week that I set out to start it we are in the midst of a major heatwave. It’s day 4. 102 degrees today.

So, I decided to outsmart the heat and make an icebox pie. I found a delicious sounding recipe for a pina colada pie that suited me and I bought all of the necessary ingredients.

Lesson 1: read the directions very, very thoroughly prior to setting your mind to a baking project. The crust baking was unfortunate but tolerable because it was 6 minutes and I just escaped into my singular air conditioned room (the bedroom). What I wasn’t prepared for until, oh, reading step 2, was the fact that I’d be standing over a double boiler. In my 97 degree kitchen. (Not exaggerating.) But, I set out to do this and I’m doing it! It took longer than expected, as the gelatin was supposed to set in 10 minutes. Guess that’s a bit longer when it’s 97 degrees in your kitchen. Even in my fridge it took close to an hour. Use your judgement and monitor the filling for consistency and thickening.

Crust baked. Pie filling poured. Pie setting in fridge overnight. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzap. Electricity is out. Great. Now my starting-to-set-pie is in a fridge that will not be cold for very long. Seriously folks, just don’t bake in a heatwave. The forces of nature and technology are ALL against you.

So, it’s 11pm, I’m in my pajamas, teeth brushed, bedtime prayers said and I’m filling a cooler with my goods to take the contents of my fridge and freezer, including the cursed Pina Colada Pie, to my office kitchen.

I’m hopeful that first thing in the morning I can snap some requisite pictures of the pie for the blog here and add them in tomorrow, but considering the events described above, I trust that you will grant me some slack and use your imaginations as to what the pie looks like. I encourage you all to try this yummy treat, but just don’t do it during a heatwave.

Cursed Pina Colada Pie

adapted from Icebox Pies by Lauren Chattman
Vanilla Wafer Crust

50 Vanilla wafer cookies

5 T unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1/8 t salt

1 t vanilla extract

Preheat over to 350
In food processor, chop cookies until finely ground. Combine crumbs, butter, salt, and vanilla in bowl, stir until moistened
Press mixture evenly across bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie pan, packing tightly
Bake until golden, 6-8 minutes. Cool completely before filling

Pina Colada Pie Filling

2 T cold water

2 t unflavored gelatin

2/3 c sugar

3 large eggs

6 oz pineapple juice (canned)

½ c unsweetened coconut milk

¾ c heavy cream

Place cold water in bowl, sprinkle with gelatin. Let gelatin stand to dissolve
On a double boiler, whisk together sugar, eggs, pineapple juice, and coconut milk, making sure metal bowl does not touch bottom of saucepan. Heat, whisking constantly, until 160 degrees on thermometer.
Remove bowl from double boiler and whisk in gelatin. Let stand on ice or in fridge until it begins to thicken, whisking occasionally.
Whip heavy cream to soft peaks and fold into pineapple mixture.
Fill pie shell. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until completely set, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
Continue reading →