• If you want to make your own graham cracker crust, you can follow this recipe for the graham cracker crust and then chilled in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before baking.
• Then bake the pie crust in a preheated oven at 350 F (180 C) for conventional oven, 330 F (165 C) for convection oven, for 13-15 minutes. Let it cool completely before using

Prepare the coconut pastry cream: (prepare the day before)

• Whisk egg, sugar, and cornstarch in a measuring cup with a spout if you have one (or just use a bowl) until well-combined. Set aside
  
• Give the canned coconut milk a good shake before opening the can. Put coconut milk and shredded coconut in a saucepan. Bring it to a gentle simmer and remove from the heat.
  
• Gradually stream in about 1/3 of the egg mixture while another hand continue to whisk. We are tempering the egg mixture so it won't curdle
  
• Continue to stream in the rest of the egg mixture to the coconut milk mixture and continue to whisk at the same time
  
• Put the saucepan back on the stove and continue to cook over medium-low heat while continue whisking. Cook until the mixture is gently simmering and bubbly, about 4-5 minutes
  
• Remove from the heat and add the butter and stir until the butter melts
  
• Let the mixture cool down at room temperature for about 30 minutes, stirring every now and then. Cover with a cling wrap, touching the surface of the coconut pastry cream directly to prevent skin from forming. Put this in the fridge and let it chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. It can be kept for up to 3 days in the fridge
  

Assembling:

• Remove the coconut pastry cream from the fridge. It has thickened considerably. Whisk it again until it is smooth. Fill the pie crust with the pastry cream. Smooth the top with an offset spatula
  
• Prepare the whipped cream. Combine cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Use a whip attachment if using a stand mixer and whip on medium-high speed until the cream is stiff. DO NOT overwhip until the cream turns grainy
• You can either just spread this whip cream on top of the pastry cream, or if you want to make it more decorative, transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a open-star tip or any tip of your choice. Pipe the cream, starting from the edge of the pie, to cover the surface of the custard
  

Chill the pie before serving:

• Chill the assembled pie in the fridge for at least 2 hours to let the whipped cream set before slicing

Prepare toasted coconut:

• Put the unweetened shredded, flakes, or coconut chips on a dry non-stick pan and toast them over medium-low heat until they are lightly golden brown. Remove from the heat and let them cool down completely before using. They can be kept in an air-tight container and kept in a cool dry place and they should remain crisp.

To serve:

• Cut the pie into desired size and sprinkle with toasted coconut. If you decorate the pie with toasted coconut, the coconut will turn soft and soggy. So it is best to just sprinkle it on the pie just before serving for that contrast of texture