Tropical Fruit Cream Pie with Toasted Coconut

Ever since I was a little girl, one of my favorite desserts in the world was my Grandma Emerson's Banana Split Pie. Sometimes simplicity in a dessert really is pure genius, and there is no point in even trying to change or improve the recipe because the idea seems impossible. Well, we had a BBQ this weekend for our friend Stacey's birthday, and naturally, we were charged with the task of bringing dessert. Stacey requested Banana Split Pie, as we had taken it over to their house for a different BBQ a few years back and everyone absolutely fell in love with it. No problem- I will always take ANY excuse I can to make this delicious dessert.

So you are probably wondering why I keep talking about Banana Split Pie when my post title so clearly states that I should be talking about Tropical Fruit Cream Pie with Toasted Coconut. Well, for the party, I decided to make two pies because Stacey's family is really big, and I wanted to make sure that there was enough for everyone who wanted some to be able to enjoy a good-sized piece. I was not sure if I would have enough of the traditional fruit for two full-sized Banana Split Pies that the recipe calls for, so I decided to do one traditional Banana Split Pie and then add mandarin oranges and toasted coconut to the second pie and go from there. The experiment was a success, and lucky for you, since the base for the recipes is identical, you actually get two delicious recipes in one and can decide for yourself which one you want to make!
 

Here is the end result for Tropical Fruit Cream Pie with Toasted Coconut (Sorry 'bout the shadowy pic-I didn't realize how dark it was until it was too late and there was no more pie left to photograph!)


Here is what you will need to make 2 pies:

-2 pre-made extra-large graham cracker pie crusts

-4 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened at room temperature

-6 cups powdered sugar

-2 tsp. vanilla

-1 tsp. honey

-4 large, ripe bananas

-1 large can of crushed pineapple, drained

-1 large can of mandarin oranges, drained (Only for Tropical Fruit Cream Pie)

-Whipped topping (you can use French Vanilla Redi Whip, like I did, or use Cool Whip (2 packages or 1 large), or homemade whipped topping works great, too!)

-1 jar maraschino cherries, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

-1-2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut (Only for Tropical Fruit Cream Pie)

If you are making a Tropical Fruit Cream Pie, begin by getting your coconut toasted. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spread coconut out evenly on a baking sheet. Place into the preheated oven for 5-10 minutes or, until most of the coconut is lightly golden brown and a few pieces are somewhat dark in color. Watch the coconut carefully- it can go from perfectly white to charred black in a very short amount of time. I usually check mine every minute after the 5 minute mark. Once your coconut has reached its desired level of toastiness, remove it from the oven and let it cool. You can turn your oven off at this point; the rest of the recipe is no-bake! 

Once your coconut has been removed from the oven, regardless of which pie you are making, the next step is to make the filling, or the first step if you're making the traditional Banana Split Pie. Blend together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and honey in an extra-large mixing bowl using a hand mixer. The bigger the bowl the better. Powdered sugar can get messy quickly! Keep mixing until your filling is completely smooth and creamy. Afterwards, divide the mixture evenly between the two pie crusts. Save the plastic insert you remove from the graham cracker crusts- they make perfect lids for your pies after they are done.



You should have TWO of these to work with after you have completed this step.  :)

Oh- I forgot to mention- before filling the crusts, make sure to taste-test your filling, or have your certified kitchen helper taste it for you. Okay, so this step is pretty much optional and is more for the cook's benefit than anything else, but I highly recommend it! 

 

Here is my trusted helper getting ready to perform her first taste test....



And the verdict is in... SUCCESS!

 Next, you want to slice up your bananas. Go for a medium-slice, and top each pie completely with the sliced bananas. If your kitchen helper is as ambitious as mine, always giving and willing to help, I am sure you will be able to utilize him/her in disposing of any extra bananas you may have. It is hard to truly gage the exact amount of fruit you will need in this recipe, so naturally, a lot of the measurements mentioned earlier are guidelines. Ok, who am I kidding? That is the basis for the majority of my recipes. I suck at measuring and recording, I just go all in and hope for the best 95% of the time.   

 

Cream filling with bananas layered on top



After you have layered the bananas, add the crushed pineapple on top of each pie. Make sure your pineapple is drained incredibly well or the acidity in the juices somewhat mangle the cream filling as they seep down into the pie. Spread the pineapple out as evenly as possible using a spatula or the back of a spoon.


With pineapple added

Okay- here is where we will diverge on what to do depending on which pie you are making. If you are making the Banana Split Pie, skip ahead to the next step. If you are making the Tropical Fruit Cream Pie, this step is for you! Layer the drained mandarin oranges on top of the pineapple. I know- this pie is complicated, right? Even with all of its technical difficulties, I am sure you will be able to get it on your first try! :)

A close-up of all the fruity goodness going into this DELICIOUS pie

For both pies, you are now ready for the whipped topping stage. Cover the fruit layers on both pies with your choice of whipped topping. Even though I used Redi Whip, I would actually recommend Cool Whip just because it holds up better. The Redi Whip melted into the pie pretty quickly, but it still tasted great- it just didn't have that fluffy look after a few minutes that it did initially, as you will see in the picture below, which is fine because I smoothed it out anyways. :)
 

Who doesn't love whip cream, regardless of what kind it is?

If you are making the Tropical Fruit Cream Pie with Toasted Coconut, this is where the toasted coconut comes into play. After you have smoothed your whipped topping of choice over your fruit layers, sprinkle the toasted coconut evenly over the whipped topping, pressing in lightly to make sure that it sticks well. Use as much or as little as you like, but it really adds a great element of flavor and an awesome, yet subtle, crunch, too. Next, slice up your maraschino cherries that have been drained, rinsed, and patted dry into quarters. Put the cherries on top of the pie however your decorative and creative mind wishes to do so. (That is the part I am not so good with-decorating of any sort is really just not my thing, but I am working on it.) If you chose to make just the Banana Split Pie, skip the coconut step altogether and go straight to topping the whipped cream with the cherries.



One more (unfortunately dark) look at the completed dessert

Whichever pie you chose, or if you chose both, you are sure to end up with a creamy, fruity, all-around fantastic pie that is so simple it's hard to compete with. This dessert is perfect for BBQ's or any other summertime festivity, but it is so good that you will probably want it year-round and will find yourself, like me, jumping eagerly at any excuse to make it. Enjoy! (I assure you, you will ENJOY!) :)