INGREDIENTS:
Pre-baked Pie Crust
For the Coconut Custard Filling:
-
3/4 cup granulated
sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs (use only the yolks for the custard; set the whites aside for meringue)
2 1/4 cups milk preferably whole milk
1 1/4 cups shredded or flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Meringue:
DIRECTIONS:
Blind bake the crust according to the directions for unfilled crust here. Let the crust cool while you make the custard filling.
Make the coconut custard filling:
1. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Use a whisk to mix them well. Pour the milk into the pan and stir well with a whisk or a spatula (which I like to use because it is easier to keep things moving on the bottom of the pan) until everything is very well combined and the dry ingredients are well incorporated. Place the saucepan over medium/high heat and cook, still stirring, until the mixture heats up and almost reaches a boil and steams and thickens into a smooth, velvety sauce, 8-9 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Gently ladle out about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture and begin slowly adding to the beaten egg yolks stirring constantly as you pour. (This helps to warmup the eggs and prevent them from curdling). After the milk and egg yolk mixture is totally warmed...pour the egg yolk and milk mixture back into the pan, stirring until completely incorporated.
4.Place the pan back over medium/high heat and continue to cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for approximately 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture thickens considerably and begins come to a gentle but plopping boil. Let it boil gently for 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. Add 1 cup of the coconut, the butter, and the vanilla to the custard in the pan and stir to combine. Now pour all the filling into your pie crust. Set aside until you make the meringue.
Make the meringue:
Heat the oven to 350° F (176°C)
Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for a minute. Increase the speed to high and beat until foamy. Start adding the sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time. Beat the egg whites until shiny, soft, firm peaks form. (This should only take a minute or two).
Assemble and bake the pie:
Layer the meringue on top of the warm custard filling, spreading it all the way to the crust and mounding the meringue in the center of the pie. Use a butter knife to make peaks in the meringue then sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of the coconut on the top of the meringue.
Place the coconut cream pie in the preheated 350°F oven on the middle rack and bake until the meringue is a beautiful golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and place the pie on a cooling rack to let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate and chill for a couple of hours. Makes 8 beautiful servings.
Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!
