Live Coconut Cream Pie

Made by Deanne at the March 2011 Potluck

Adapted from I Am Grateful: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude by Terces Engelhart with Orchid

For the Crust:

2 1/2 cups dry coconut flakes
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Heaping 1/4 cup well-packed, finely chopped dates ( I used about 1 cup or more of dates and didn't bother to chop them. Just put them in the food processor with some coconut flakes.

For the Filling:

1/4 cups coconut milk
3/4 cup coconut meat
(milk and meat from a fresh young coconut. I used 3 coconuts to make a slightly larger dish for the group. I used all the meat but not all the milk. I added the milk bit by bit with consideration for the consistency I was after)
Heaping 3/4 cup well-packed, finely chopped dates ( this makes it rather sweet. I didn't use this much)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 pinches salt
3 tablespoons of liquid lecithin (from health food store)
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons raw scented coconut butter (oil)

Garnish: 3/4 cup dry coconut flakes

To Make the Crust:

Add coconut flakes, salt and vanilla to your food processor. Add dates slowly until the date crust sticks together. Press into a greased (coconut oil) 9 inch pie pan.

To Make the Filling:

Blend Coconut milk, meat, dates, vanilla and salt until smooth. Add lecithin and coconut butter (oil) and blend till smooth.
Pour over the crust, sprinkle with dry coconut flakes and set in the fridge or freezer for one hour before serving.