#70 Toasted Coconut Lemon Cream Pudding

The pudding part of this recipe comes from my late winter-early spring adult cooking class with T. Pechey.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup corstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups 3% milk, Do not use skim
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup shredded coconut, divided
• GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBLE (Optional)
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. In a small skillet, toast 1/4 cup f the coconut over medium high heat, stirring and tossing until fragrant and golden in color. Do not burn! Set aside.

2. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 3 or 4 quart saucepan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk until blended. Gradually stir milk mixture into sugar mixture. Stir in lemon zest and remaining 1/4 cup of coconut.

3. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture just comes to a boil. It will take a long time!

4. Reduce heat but maintain a simmer. Stir constantly for approximately three minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and vanilla. Stir and allow to cool. Refrigerate until serving.

5. In the meantime, prepare graham cracker crumble by mixing graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar.

6. Take small parfait dishes and layer graham cracker crumbs and pudding. You will need to give the pudding a good stir before dishing. Top the parfaits with toasted coconut.

NOTES:

DANGER: This pudding is REALLY rich. When making parfaits, make small ones. The parfaits featured in the picture were too large...they almost did my husband and I in!

The last time I made this I also made the Quick Cherry Cheesecake recipe. I took some of the cream cheese mixture from the Quick Cherry Cheesecake and layered in with the pudding, graham cracker crumble, and coconut.