Kimo’s Original Hula Pie — Signature Dessert for a Family of Restaurants in Hawaii and California

(As I have begun to explore unique restaurants around the country, I am also discovering amazing recipes.  From time to time, I will be sharing them on this blog, so I have created a whole new category.  Hula Pie — an ice creamy concoction, might seem out of season, but once you taste it, you will FIND a season or an occasion to serve it.  Yum!!

Rob Thibaut and Sandy Saxton, co-founders of TS Restaurants, found the most picturesque, romantic and fabulous locations for their popular restaurants.  Eight are on the Hawaiian islands, 5 are on the Pacific Coast of California, and 1 is in Lake Tahoe.  These restaurants are not a chain.  The names, as well as the menus, vary – Hula Grill, Kimo’s, Leilani’s, Keoki’s Paradise, and Duke’s.  All are joined by their most-requested, signature dessert – Hula Pie.

Hula Pie has been around for almost 4 decades.  It takes 2 days to make, and the serving sizes are huge. Definitely shareable.  The remarkable aspect is that they are not really complicated to make, and no baking is necessary.  After holding the recipe close to the vest for a number of years, it was shared in a Cooking Channel segment and by Hawaii Magazine.  Sampling it recently in both Maui and Kauai, I can attest that the taste is the same on both islands.  Cold, refreshing, delightful.

HULA PIE

Ingredients:

1 9-inch chocolate cookie crust

1 half-gallon of macadamia nut ice cream (Yes, the whole half gallon and don’t stop reading.  I’ve given a suggestion below for how to create some macadamia nut ice cream.)

4 oz. chocolate fudge topping

1 shot (1 oz.) of expresso or strong coffee

6 oz. chopped macadamia nuts

Whipped cream

Additional fudge topping, optional

1. Use a prepared chocolate cookie crust or crush Oreos to make about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. Add a little sugar and 1/4 cup of melted butter to the Oreos.  Mix well and press into a pie pan.  It’s best if this homemade crust is in the freezer overnight before adding the ice cream.
2. Spoon slightly-softened ice cream into the cookie crust. If you can’t find macadamia nut ice cream in your local store, use a good brand of vanilla ice cream, let it soften (but not too much) and fold in chopped macadamia nuts (the amount depends on your personal preference).  Shape the ice cream into a high dome or bombe.
3. Mix the expresso or coffee into the fudge topping and use a warmed knife to spread it over the ice cream.
4. Put the crust/ice cream into the freezer for several hours or until ready to serve.
5. Right before serving, cover the top of the pie with whipped cream (perhaps do a decorative piping), sprinkle with chopped nuts, and if you’d like, add a generous drizzle of additional fudge topping.
6. Use a warmed knife to cut the pie into large, thick wedges, probably 6 servings per pie.