Mini Pays de Coco (Coconut Pie)

Happy Mother's Day!  I celebrated a few days earlier because here in Mexico El Dia de las Madres (Mother's Day) is always celebrated on May 10th, no matter what day of the week it falls on.

I spent the better part of the day locked in my bedroom hiding from the dust from the debris the construction workers working on my house were clearing out.  While I was in there I painted a few walls, rearranged the furniture, purged our old clothes and shoes, and then painted some of the furniture.  I know it doesn't sound like a great way to spend Mother's Day, but believe me it couldn't have been a better day.  It was actually one of the best Mother's Day I've ever had.

Of course, Hubby and the kiddies spoiled me rotten!  First they serenaded me with Las Mañanitas (a traditional celebration song sung at birthdays and holidays like Mother's Day).  Then they gave me breakfast in bed and showered me with hugs, kisses, flowers, handmade gifts, cards, drawings, and even more hugs and kisses.  Later in the day my suegro (father-in-law) bought lunch so I didn't have to cook.  Then the 7 of us went for a walk at la presa (our town's reservoir).  We visited Hubby's grandmother and an aunt who is visiting from the States.  And then Hubby and I had a romantic dinner together.  I definitely felt the Mother's Day love.

My favorite gift of the day, aside from the bedroom makeover, was a reversible wooden tabletop Hubby made for my food pics.  (Sigh!)  It's absolutely gorgeous! It's a lovely shade of coral-pink on one side, and natural wood on the other.  I couldn't have asked for a more perfect gift.  And the fact that Hubby made it for me, without me so much as hinting at it, is just icing on the cake whipped cream on the pie.

So to thank Hubby and the kiddies for giving me such a wonderful Mother's Day, and to try out my new tabletop, I whipped them up a sweet treat...Mini Coconut Pies.  Hubby and the kiddies aren't crazy about coconut as a garnish on cakes and pies, or anything else for that matter, but they do love Pay de Coco, because it's soft and creamy and tastes like Cocada (a traditional Mexican coconut candy).

It's a really easy pie to put together.  All you need for the filling is 3 ingredients: eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and shredded coconut.   If you don't want to bake a bunch of individual mini pies, you can bake it in a regular 9-inch pie plate.  I used Galletas Maria's for my cookie crumb pie crust, but you can use graham crackers, or you can use a ready made graham cracker crust.

If you like coconut macaroons, then you are going to LOVE these Mini Pays de Coco!

Pay de Coco 
(Coconut Pie)

Ingredients:

• 1 packet Maria's cookies
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 eggs 

Directions:
In a blender or food processor, grind the Maria's Cookies until very fine.  Or place the cookies in a large plastic baggie and flatten with a rolling pin until very fine.  Combine the cookie crumbs in a bowl with the melted butter; stir until well combined. 

Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cookie mixture into each of the mini-pie molds. (You'll get about 4 to 8 mini-pies depending on the size of your mini-pie molds.)  Press the cookie crumb mixture along the bottom and sides of the molds.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  

Puree 1 cup of the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs, until smooth and creamy.  (About 2 minutes.)  Pour the puree into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining cup of shredded coconut.  Ladle the coconut mixture into prepared mini-pie molds.

Arrange on the mini-pie molds on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350°F for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the tops of the pie turn a light golden brown and the pie centers no longer jiggle when lightly shaken.  Let cool to room temperature.  Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.

Enjoy!!!   

Receta en español 





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