If you’re looking for a new twist for your Thanksgiving pie display, this Hawaiian chocolate haupia pie may be just the thing. This recipe yields a rich chocolate pie with a layer of haupia –a coconut milk pudding — topped with whipped cream.

This recipe is inspired by the haupia pie found at Ted’s Bakery in Oahu. The bakery on the island’s North Shore serves up creative cream pies like this one, plus peach Bavarian cream, strawberry guava and chocolate macadamia nut cream pies. And the how-tos hail from the new “Most Requested Copycat Dishes: 100+ Homemade Versions of Your Favorite Restaurant Recipes” cookbook (Shadow Mountain, $25) by the team — Erica Walker, Emily Walker, Elise Donovon and Echo Blickenstaff — from Favorite Family Recipes.

Chocolate Haupia Pie

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade)

1½ cups whole milk, divided

5 tablespoons cornstarch

14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (not fat-free or light)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Whipped Cream

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Line a pie tin with pastry crust. Generously pierce crust with a fork. Bake according to  your pie crust recipe or according to package directions, until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow crust to cool.

In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine 1/2 cup whole milk and cornstarch. Mix until cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, whisk together remaining 1 cup whole milk, coconut milk and sugar. Bring to a simmer, whisking often.

Stir cornstarch mixture once more before slowly adding to coconut milk mixture, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until mixture becomes thick, like a thick pudding. (This coconut milk pudding is the haupia.) It is very important that the mixture is thick before moving to the next step.

Place about half of the haupia mixture into a separate bowl and set aside. Add chocolate chips to the remaining mixture in the saucepan and stir until chocolate chips are completely melted and well combined.

Add chocolate haupia mixture immediately to cooled pie crust and smooth with a spatula until even. Add the remaining haupia mixture over the top and carefully smooth over until even.

Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.

To make the whipped cream, whip heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Add coconut extract and whip for 30 more seconds.

After pie has cooled, cut into slices and top with whipped cream topping. You can use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe the whipped cream in a design over the top.

— Excerpted from “Favorite Family Recipes: Most Requested Copy Cat Dishes” (Shadow Mountain, 2024) 

This unusual custard pie blends Mexican sensibilities with Northern California flair for a sophisticated, surprising and delightful result, says cookbook author Rogelio Garcia in his new cookbook, “Convivir: Modern Mexican Cuisine in California’s Wine Country” (Cameron + Company, $50).

The wine country chef — who helms the Michelin-starred Auro in Calistoga — drew inspiration from the Capay Valley’s Cache Creek Lavender Farm, where he sources dried culinary lavender. The lavender flan filling is paired with an unusual crust, a Mexican version of the French pâte sucrée.

“It’s as pretty as it is flavorful,” he writes.

Lavender Custard Pie with Masa Sucrée Crust

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

For the lavender-scented custard:

1½ cups (360 ml) whole milk

1/2 teaspoon dried lavender or 1 fresh lavender sprig

1/2 cup (120 ml) canned sweetened condensed milk

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, slit in half lengthwise and seeds scraped

4 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

For the masa sucrée dough:

3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (90 g) yellow or white masa harina, preferably Masienda brand

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup (115 g) very cold unsalted butter, thinly sliced or grated

3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) ice cold water

Whipped cream and dulce de leche, for serving

DIRECTIONS

A day before you want to make the pie, in a medium bowl, combine the milk, lavender, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, vanilla bean pod and seeds, egg yolks, whole eggs and the granulated sugar and whisk until all ingredients are well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

On the day of, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, masa harina, brown sugar and salt and mix for about 30 seconds, or until well combined. Add the butter and mix on medium speed until the mixture has a coarse sandy texture. Add 2 tablespoons of water, adding more water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together when pressed.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and press into a disk. Roll out the dough into a 10- to 11-inch round about 1/4 inch thick.

Gently ease the dough round into a 9-inch pie pan, pressing the dough snugly into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim the edges so they extend about 1/2 inch beyond the pan. Tuck the dough over itself to create a rim, then crimp with your fingers or a fork.

Place the pie in the oven, then pour the lavender custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the crust-lined pie pan. Bake until the custard is set, it jiggles slightly in the center when gently shaken, and the edges are light golden brown, about 1 hour.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely. Serve with whipped cream and dulce de leche.

— Courtesy Rogelio Garcia with Andréa Lawson Gray, “Convivir: Modern Mexican Cuisine in California’s Wine Country” (Cameron + Company, $50).