Young Coconut Pie

Ingredients:
Young coconut (buko) 1, about 450 g (16 oz)
Milk 250 ml (8 fl oz / 1 cup)
Single (light) cream 300 ml (10 fl oz / 11/4 cups)
Sugar 85 g (3 oz)
Egg yolks 5
Plain (all-purpose) flour 60 g (2 oz)
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Screwpine (pandan) leaves 3, knotted
Egg wash
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 Tbsp fresh milk

Pastry:
Plain (all-purpose) flour 280 g (10 oz)
Sugar 3 Tbsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Vegetable shortening 70 g (21/2 oz)
Butter 85 g (3 oz), cubed
Egg 1
Ice water 60 ml (2 fl oz / 1/4 cup)

Method
1. Prepare pastry. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

2. Crack egg into mixture and stir lightly to combine. Gradually add water and using a fork, mix until dough starts to come together. Using your fingertips, knead dough until smooth. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, pour water from coconut into a bowl and scrape out flesh (see pg 19).

4. In a saucepan, combine coconut water, milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, flour, vanilla essence and screwpine leaves over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Add coconut flesh, mix well and set aside.

5. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Divide dough into 2 parts, one 3 times bigger than the other. Roll out bigger portion to line a 23-cm (9-in) pie dish. Using a fork, prick base and sides of dough. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is light brown. Remove from heat and keep oven heated. Pour in coconut mixture, spreading evenly.

6. Roll out remaining dough into a 24-cm (91/2-in) long sheet. Cut into a 1-cm (1/2-in) wide strips and place over filling, creating a lattice design, if desired. Lightly brush with egg wash, then return pie to oven to bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Serve warm.