Favourite German Chocolate Pie

German chocolate pie reroutes the iconic German chocolate cake into pie form, with the same flavor profile in fewer steps. The filling is a cocoa-and-evaporated-milk custard loaded with two cups of flaked coconut and a full cup of chopped pecans. It bakes up fudgy at the rim and just barely set in the middle, the texture landing somewhere between brownie and chess pie.

The recipe makes two pies, which suits a holiday table or a potluck where one disappears before the second is sliced. The unbaked shells go straight into the oven with the filling poured in, no blind-baking. The custard slowly cooks the bottom crust as it sets, sidestepping the soggy-bottom problem that haunts custard pies.

Pro Tips

• Toast the coconut and pecans on a sheet pan at 350°F (175°C) for five minutes before stirring into the custard. Toasting deepens flavor and keeps both ingredients from steaming inside the wet filling.
• Pull the pies when the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble. The custard firms as it cools, and overbaking turns the eggs grainy.
• Cool on racks, not a flat counter. Airflow underneath keeps the bottom crust from sweating and softening.
• Refrigerate leftovers, covered. These pies hold up for three days.

Variations

• Drizzle a chocolate ganache or salted caramel over the cooled pie before serving.
• Swap pecans for walnuts or hazelnuts.
• Use Dutch-process cocoa for a deeper, rounder chocolate flavor.