Drive-Thru Fried Haupia Hand Pies
(how-PEE-ah)
Hanabatta Days: Small Kid Time Comforts
If you grew up visiting family in the islands, you know the mainland robbed us when they stopped deep-frying fast-food pies in 1992. But in Hawaii, the drive-thrus kept the fryers hot. Their seasonal haupia hand pie—a blistered, shatteringly crisp crust housing molten, sweet coconut pudding—is a nostalgic masterpiece of modern local comfort. Traditional haupia relies on Polynesian arrowroot, but today every local grandma uses cornstarch to achieve that perfect set. This recipe delivers the exact, burn-the-roof-of-your-mouth drive-thru experience, engineered for an average weeknight kitchen with ingredients from your local supermarket.
Before you start
Simmer the coconut milk and sugar.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Place over medium heat until it comes to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Mix the cornstarch slurry.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together until completely smooth and free of lumps.
Thicken the pudding.
Reduce the heat under the coconut milk to medium-low. While whisking continuously, pour the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan in a thin, steady stream. Keep whisking vigorously for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture transitions from a liquid to a thick, glossy pudding.
Chill the haupia until completely firm.
Pour the thickened haupia into a lightly greased 8x8-inch baking dish and smooth the top. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours until the haupia is set like a stiff jelly.
Ingredients
- full-fat canned coconut milk13 1/2 oz
- water1/2 cup
- granulated white sugar1/3 cup
- cornstarch5 tbsp
- kosher salt1 pinch
- store-bought refrigerated pie crust14 oz
- egg1 large
- neutral frying oil4 cup
Method
- 01
Portion the chilled filling.
Remove the firm haupia from the dish and slice it into small rectangles, roughly 2 1/2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide.
- 02
Cut the pie dough.
Unroll the pie crusts onto a lightly floured surface. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 3x4-inch rectangles.
- 03
Assemble and seal the pies.
Brush a light, even layer of the egg wash around the outer edges of half your dough rectangles. Place a cold haupia rectangle in the center, cover with a second dough piece, and press the edges down firmly to push out trapped air.
- 04
Crimp aggressively to prevent explosions.
Using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges together with force. A poor seal means the filling will melt into the fryer oil, so construct a fortress. Transfer the pies to a parchment-lined sheet and chill for 20 to 30 minutes.
- 05
Fry until blistered.
In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat the neutral oil to 375°F. Carefully lower two to three chilled pies into the oil without overcrowding. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping halfway, until deep golden brown and heavily blistered.
- 06
Drain and cool.
Remove the pies with a spider or slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack set over paper towels. Let them cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes before eating, as the inside will literally be molten lava.
Notes
Respect the coconut milk.
You must use canned, full-fat coconut milk. Do not substitute carton coconut milk beverages or heavily sweetened coconut cream, or the pudding will fail to set properly.
Store-bought crust is the secret.
Avoid the temptation to use store-bought puff pastry. Puff pastry relies on steam to separate its layers, and in a deep fryer, this dramatic expansion will tear the pastry apart and cause your molten filling to ooze out.
Air-frying alternative.
If you want to skip the deep fry, generously brush the assembled, chilled pies with melted butter or oil and air fry at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway. It won't develop the exact micro-blisters of hot oil, but it will be suitably crisp.
From Cook Hawaiian in America.