Haupia Recipe

I tried making haupia last Friday and it was awesome and I'm not even that crazy about coconut. If you're looking for a unique, easy dessert - give haupia a try. It didn't take alot of time to put it together and there were no prisoners by Saturday afternoon. I'm making it again this weekend for Easter.

Haupia is a type of Hawaiian coconut pudding. It was most likely brought to Hawaii from Guam around the time of the Second World War. Today, it is served at luaus and other parties and is very popular throughout the Islands.

Here is how you make it:
Ingredients:
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 cup of butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, unsalted - coarsely chopped

Pie Filling:
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1-1/2 cups of milk
20 ounces of coconut milk
1-1/2 cups of water
3/8 cup of cornstarch
1-1/2 cups of sugar

Preparation:
Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coarsely chop macadamia nuts.
3. Cut butter into pat sized pieces.
4. Mix butter into flour with a wooden spoon, chopping butter into small pieces coated with flour.
5. Add brown sugar and macadamia nuts to the flour and sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly.
6. Dump mixture into a 9x9 or 9x13 baking pan. Pack the mixture down with your hands to cover the bottom of pan and up about an inch along the side of the pan.
7. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pie Filling:

1. Mix the coconut milk, milk, and sugar together in a pot or saucepan.
2. In a bowl mix together the water and corn starch.
3. Bring coconut milk mixture to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat to simmer.
4. Slowly stir in corn starch mixture into the coconut milk mixture and whisk it until it is well mixed and it has thickened.
5. Microwave chocolate pieces for a minute or so in a bowl so the chocolate is just melting together.
6. Separate the coconut mixture into two equal parts.
   
7. Add the melted chocolate to one of the parts, mixing it thoroughly and pour evenly onto the pie crust.
8. Gently spoon the other half of the haupia (coconut mixture) on top of the chocolate layer.
9. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
10. Garnish with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
    

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