Our Best Tips for Making Filipino-Style Buko Pie at Home

Buko pie is a treat you often only come across after a quick road trip down South (tip: make a quick pit stop in Laguna and pick up a pie or two!)-but we have tips for making one at home. While buko pie is traditionally topped with pie crust, our baking tips include a fun twist to the classic: crunchy, salty-sweet cheese streusel topping. Here's a buko pie recipe to guide you through the steps:

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1 Butter is the secret to a flaky pie crust.

While butter is the secret to a flaky pie crust, a flaky pie crust is the secret to a delicious buko pie! Use cold butter to make your crust, and handle your dough as lightly and quickly as possible so that you don't overwork the gluten.

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2 Know what kind of coconut meat you need.

You can find fresh buko (young coconut) meat in any major supermarket: it shouldn't be too soft nor too tough; it has to be just right-meaty yet tender. This way, it'll bake into a pie that's firm enough to slice into, and will not be too wet and soft to bake through completely.

3 Explore a local market.

Yes, fresh buko is available in the grocery. The best way to score some awesome coconut meat, however, is to shop in a local wet market near your area! Local coconut vendors know exactly what kind of meat you need to make buko pie.

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4 Make your pie topping exciting.

You can opt to cover the top of your buko pie with basic pie crust dough, but you can also opt to be a little adventurous with a crunchy streusel topping. Add cheddar cheese to your streusel to add saltiness to the pie's flavor profile, too.

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5 Bake them in small tart pans.

While you can make one big pie (it'll be perfect for sharing), baking these pies in small 6-inch tart pans will make them easier to handle and easier to eat. You will end up with a well-browned crust and just enough buko filling in every bite.

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Tips and recipe originally published in the October 2016 issue of Yummy magazine. Minor edits have been made by Yummy.ph editors.