Coffee Hula Pie

My BFF went to Hawaii over the holidays and came back raving about something called Hula Pie.  Obviously, I had to figure out how to re-create this Hawaiian delight.  I did change things up a little bit, using coffee ice cream instead of the original’s macadamia nut.  But, I’m not going to lie, this pie is much more difficult than it looks.  I went through four pies until I got the intended outcome.  Where were the challenges?  They’re all included in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page, but just so you’re fully informed where the pitfalls lie in what looks like a fairly simple recipe.

Hula Pie Good-to-Knows

1. Be sure to fully cool the Oreo crust after you bake it.  This might be no-duh, but I was in a rush on the first test of this and my crust wasn’t fully cooled.  I ended up with a giant puddle of ice cream in the freezer because the crust warmed the ice cream and caused it to melt.  No bueno.  Letting it cool on the counter and then sticking it in the freezer for an hour will help you avoid that mess.

2. The dome: that mountainous dome shape is an important aspect of the original.  Granted, you could cut the ice cream in half and make this a flat pie, which would simplify everything.  But I was committed to replicating the original and was determined to figure out the dome.  The second attempt of this pie, once I had a properly cooled crust, I had softened the ice cream too much before filing the crust, so it didn’t get the height.  The trick is to soften the ice cream enough to manipulate it, but make sure it’s still pretty well frozen.  As you’ll see in the video, I pile it and then smush it.  That worked best.

3. The ganache: because of the dome shape, it’s important that the ganache adhere to the ice cream.  However, the second that ice cream even remotely starts to melt, the ganache will slide off.  So, be sure to freeze the ice cream in the crust for at least 8 hours or overnight.  Then, use Hershey’s hot fudge topping (I tested several other brands and theirs was the right consistency and flavor), though don’t heat it.  Open the jar and have your spatula at the ready.  Then pull the pie out of the freezer, quickly apply the fudge and throw it quickly back into the freezer.  Don’t try to make it perfect, don’t take too much time spreading it.  Get it on there and get it back in the freezer asap.

Want to watch my hands make this 12 hour pie in 2 minutes?

Yes, the video makes it look easy.  Like I said, watch out for the pitfalls.

Fortunately, even the non-pretty versions of this test yielded incredibly delicious results.  The coffee is a must for any Frappuccino fans.

Coffee Hula Pie

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★★★★★

5 from 1 review

• Author: Joanie Simon
• Total Time: 12 hours 10 mins
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

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Description

Maui’s famed ice cream pie made with Oreo Crust, Hershey’s topping, macadamias and coffee ice cream.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 36 Oreo cookies
• 3 Tbs butter
• 2 – 1/2 gallons coffee ice cream (or vanilla or macadamia nut)
• 12.8 oz jar Hershey’s hot fudge topping
• 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 2 Tbs sugar

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Blend Oreos in a food processor until pulverized into a fine crumble, then add in 3 Tbs softened butter and blend until butter is incorporated.
3. Pour the Oreo crumbs into a shallow pie plate and smash evenly into the pie plate. Be sure that the corners are equal thickness with the rest of the crust.
4. Bake the Oreo crust at 375F for 8 minutes to cause the Oreos to re-bind with one another.
5. Remove from oven, cool and then place in the freezer for at least an hour. You don’t want to put the ice cream into a warm crust, otherwise it will melt and make a huge mess.
6. Once the crust is fully cooled, remove the ice cream from the freezer and scoop all of it into a large bowl. Mash the ice cream with a spoon so as to break it up and expedite softening, but don’t let it soften too much. It needs to be firm enough to pile up into a dome.
7. Next, pile the ice cream into the pie crust and make it like a large “mountain” dome on top of the crust. Use a spatula to smooth it out, then place it in the freezer for at least 8 hours. Do not try to do this step too quickly because you need the surface of the ice cream fully frozen for the next step.
8. After 8 hours or more, take the pie from the freezer and pour the Hershey’s hot fudge (not heated) topping on top and spread around the pie evenly (I tested four different “ganaches” and this was the best consistency and most comparable to the Maui version). Do this extremely quickly because it the pie is out too long, the surface of the ice cream will start to melt and your ganache will roll off the sides. Immediately put it back into the freezer for at least an hour, if not longer.
9. Next, top with chopped macadamia nuts.
10. Then, decorate the top with a piping bag filled with whipped cream with 2 Tbs sugar added.
11. Place back into the freezer until ready to serve.

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 12 hours
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: Hawaiian

*This recipe is adapted from the original at Kimo’s in Maui, HI.