recipe: coconut cream pie

Nothing screams summer picnic like a cream pie. Totally over the top, decadent, and sugary, it's American through and through. So what better dessert for Memorial Day yesterday than a Coconut Cream Pie.




The meringue was by far the best part of this recipe. It held together beautifully and peaked perfectly.


My filling didn't perform so well. But I'm thinking this had something to do with the fact that I took the pie out of the refrigerator mid-chill to photograph it in the 80 degree heat for 20 minutes.



Coconut Cream Pie

Filling
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk (I used one cup whole milk, one cup coconut milk)
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 cup flaked coconut
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 (9 inch) pastry shell, baked

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in chopped coconut, butter and coconut extract until butter is melted. Pour hot filling into crust.

Meringue Topping

1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons white sugar

1. In a small saucepan, combine water, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cornstarch. Cook over low heat until clear (or about 5-6 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a large glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until mixture is foamy. Mix in vanilla, then add the 6 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until meringue forms soft peaks. Gradually pour in cornstarch mixture, beating until stiff. Spread over top of pie and seal to the crust. Use a big spoon to artfully peak the meringue topping if desired.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until the meringue is golden. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

I also toasted some coconut flakes in a preheated 325 degree F oven for about 11-12 minutes to sprinkle on top of individual pie pieces.