Coconut Creme Pie

The first thing you need to do is make your pie shell . I usually just buy one and put it in the oven and prebake it. This recipe requires you pour the cream in the prebaked pie shell as do most cream pie recipes.

 

 

 

Coconut Cream Pie

 

 In a small bowl put 1 cup sugar, 3 egg yolks, and 1/4 cup cornstarch in a small bowl

 

 

mix it up and add enough water to make a paste. It doesn't take much . just enough so you can stir it up.

 

 put 3 cups of milk in a double boiler and boil until the milk starts to steam. This is when you add the egges, cornstarch, sugar paste mixture. Pour it in slowly whisking it so it doesn't clump. You continue to stir this until it thickens. I usually end up taking it out of the double boiler and cooking it on a low temperature so it can get pretty thick. keep stirring it so it will not burn.

 

 

It needs to get thick

 

 remove it from the stove and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut , 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Give it a good stir until this is all stirred up really well.

 

 

 You can see it is pretty thick. Pour the filling into a BAKED pie shell.

 

 

Meringue can get a little tricky. Always use large egg whites that are at ROOM temperature and make sure your bowl is COLD . Always add the sugar slowly.
Put 4 egg whites in a cold metal bowl add 1/4 teaspoon of Cream Of Tartar. Using an electric mixture on slow to medium speed, beat until soft peaks form. Add sugar One tablespoon at a time . You need to do this really slow. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks are when you can take the spoon and make a peak and they will not fall down. Pile lightly over the pie, spreading to the edges. Do not try and mash the meringue down you will flatten it and you want it to be tall and fluffy.

 

 

 

 

See my stiff peaks how they are standing up. I hope your meringue is taller than mine. I forgot to chill the metal bowl.

 

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 of sweetened coconut on top and bake 325 degrees for 30 minutes. This was an early photo I took while it was baking in the oven so yours will be a little browner on top than this one.

 

RECIPE

 

Bake your piecrust first don't forget.

 

3 egg yolks

 

1 cup sugar

 

1/4 cup cornstarch

 

1/4 or enough to make a paste

 

3 cups milk

 

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

 

2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

In a small bowl , stir together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and just enough water to make a paste.

 

Place the milk in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. When the milk begins to steam, gradually stir in the egg mixture. Cook. stirring occasionally until very thick. I removed it off the double boiler onto the stovetop and cooked it on low heat stirring until it got thick. I like to start it out in a double boiler because when milk really starts boiling it can overflow pretty quickly.

 

Remove from the heat and stir in butter, coconut, and vanilla

 

Pour the filling into the PREBAKED pie crust and top with the meringue. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 coconut on top and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown

 

Recipe for Meringue

 

4 egg whites, at room temperature

 

1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar

 

3 tablespoons sugar

 

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a cold metal bowl. Using the electric mixture on slow to medium speed, beat until soft peaks form

 

Start putting in the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Pile it gently over the top of the pie trying not to smash it all the way to the edges.