Description
White Christmas Pie is a festive dessert featuring a buttery homemade pie crust filled with a creamy, coconut-studded custard topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh strawberries in a sweet glaze. This elegant pie combines delicate almond and vanilla flavors with a crunchy coconut topping and fresh fruit sauce, perfect for holiday celebrations or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup ice cold water, plus more as needed
Filling
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 cup water
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut plus more for sprinkling over top
- 2 cups heavy cream (for topping)
- 2 cups fresh diced strawberries (for topping)
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (to mix with strawberries)
Instructions
- Prepare the Butter: Cut butter into pats and place flat on a plate. Freeze while preparing other ingredients.
- Make the Dough: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse to mix. Add cold vegetable shortening and pulse a few times. Add frozen butter and pulse until pea-sized. Slowly add cold water while pulsing, checking dough by pinching; add more water one tablespoon at a time if crumbly until dough comes together.
- Form and Chill Dough: Turn dough onto floured counter, press into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Roll and Shape Crust: On floured surface, roll dough to two inches larger than a 10" pie plate. Place dough over plate, press gently in and up edges. Trim excess, pinch and create a high scalloped decorative edge. Freeze 30 minutes to set.
- Blind Bake Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pie crust with parchment and pie weights or dry beans in oven for 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, prick bottom with fork, bake additional 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
- Bloom Gelatin: In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in 1/4 cup water. Set aside.
- Make the Filling Base: In medium saucepan, mix 1/3 cup sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk, whisk, and bring to boil over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in gelatin mixture and whisk to combine. Remove from heat and whisk in almond and vanilla extracts. Cool quickly in ice bath.
- Whip Cream and Egg Whites: Beat 1/2 cup heavy cream to soft peaks and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and remaining 1/3 cup sugar to stiff peaks.
- Combine Filling: Whip cooled filling mixture briefly to creamy texture. Gently fold in whipped cream, beaten egg whites, and shredded coconut.
- Fill Crust: Scrape filling evenly into cooled pie shell.
- Prepare Topping: Whip 2 cups heavy cream to stiff peaks. Using a large star tip pastry bag, pipe decorative topping over pie filling. Sprinkle additional shredded coconut on top.
- Make Strawberry Sauce: Mix diced strawberries with confectioners’ sugar in a bowl until sugary syrup forms.
- Serve: Cut pie into slices and serve with strawberry sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
- Freezing the butter and dough helps create a flaky crust.
- Using pie weights during blind baking prevents the crust from shrinking or bubbling.
- Cooling the filling mixture quickly prevents curdling and helps with smooth texture.
- Gently folding whipped cream and egg whites into filling preserves airiness for a light texture.
- Fresh strawberries macerated with confectioners’ sugar create a natural sauce without added liquids.
- This pie is best served chilled and within 24 hours for optimal freshness.
- Substitute almond extract with more vanilla extract if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 pie)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
