kay's coconut cream pie
Do not be intimidated by this recipe. After you read it, you will realize it is as easy as pie to make this old fashioned dessert! My husband fell in love with a Coconut Cream Pie way back. I called for the recipe and received it, but the directions were most confusing on how to make this old fashioned custard pie. After my unsuccessful Coconut Cream Pie ventures, I managed to to become a modern Coconut Cream Pie Chef without all the fuss and without all the struggles and failures. Making this fun, easy pie is a cinch with your round glass microwavable bowl which stands 3" tall or higher (I use a 3 Quart round Pyrex casserole bowl) and an electric mixer and a microwave oven. (If you have a glass mixing bowl which is microwavable, GREAT! Go for it!) ....So throw out that double boiler and forget about standing and slaving over the stove while stirring this pie filling for 20 to 30 minutes! You can now make this old fashioned pie the quick and easy, modern way! After you make it once, every one will beg for more of your pie! So even though there are 8 servings listed above, you may want to cook two pies so you may feed 8 people. Every one will most likely eat 2 pieces each! Last but not least, you can expect to teach others how to make this pie. :)
Ingredients For kay's coconut cream pie
-
1deep pie shell, baked
-
1/3 ccornstarch
-
2/3 csugar
-
1/2 tspsalt
-
3 cwhole milk
-
3eggs, separated
-
3/4 cflaked coconut (i use coconut from your grocer's frozen food section because it is more tender.)
-
1 tspvanilla
-
1/2 csugar for creating meringue with egg whites.
How To Make kay's coconut cream pie
-
1Bake that pie crust... I bake mine on 400 around 10 to 12 minutes, if my memory is correct. Combine cornstartch and 2/3rds Cup sugar with salt blending all together with fork. (Thoroughly mix well, breaking up all cornstarch lumps, raking down the sides of the bowl thoroughly. This is critical that you blend all three very well so take your time and spend at least 1 or 2 minutes melding all together very well.) Add 1 tablespoon of your whole milk and blend well with mixer. Add another tablespoon of whole milk, slowly blending and raking down the sides of the bowl. (Do not rush adding milk at this stage because this blending process must be smooth and creamy, without lumps. (Rushing to add too much milk too quickly will most likely ruin your pie filling so take your time and be very thorough in blending all ingredients together smoothly.) Once you have Blended several Tablespoons of milk, you may gradually add 1/4th of a cup of milk at a time until you use up a full cup of milk. Now add your 2nd cup of milk, blending well; Add the third cup of milk and blend well. At this stage, there should be no lumps, and the uncooked custard should be very smoothly blended together.)
-
2Place the bowl of uncooked custard in the Microwave and cook for 2 minutes. Stir thoroughly with a spatula making sure to scrape down the sides of your custard. Microwave for 2 more minutes and then blend well with your spatula once again. (At this stage, your custard should be thicker around the outer sides of your round glass bowl so thoroughly blend well. (If there are any lumps, it is because you most likely failed in your earlier mixing stage to thoroughly blend well. Pull it out and see if you can break these lumps up with your mixer. (Wipe the mixer clean before mixing the hot custard) If it doesnt need the electric mixer, proceed cooking for 2 more minutes until the center of the custard, in the bowl, is cooked until very thick. Next, beat your egg yolks on low speed and then blend some of the hot custard into your egg yolks thoroughly. Stir egg yolks into remaining hot custard mixture, raking down the sides of bowl to thoroughly mix all ingredients thoroughly. Cook in Microwave once again for 1 1/2 minutes to 2 minutes. TOTAL COOKING TIME (including adding the egg yolks)~~~ 8 to 9 minutes!
-
3Remove from Microwave, stir thoroughly once again and add your 3/4 cup of coconut and 1 tsp of vanilla, blending well. Cool the custard then pour into baked pastry pie shell. (I think the wattage of my microwave is around 1000 to 1200 so keep this in mind. Just pretend your wattage is like mine and try it my way first. You do not need extra cornstarch nor less milk with this recipe. Your pie will be a success if you follow my directions. I failed too many times and I have modified this recipe for even a 13 year old child to be successful now.)
-
4***MERINGUE*** Beat egg whites until foamy and add a dash or two of cream of tartar (if you wish) at this time. Continue beating for at least 1 minute then slowly add a tablespoon of sugar at a time while blending well. (I sprinkle the 1/2 cup of sugar slowly into the mixing bowl straight from the cup. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. This will take a total time of 3 to 4 minutes from beginning to end of the process for making meringue.) **Meringue TIP*** To make meringue, mix on high speed and to check for stiff peaks, turn off your mixer and lift the mixer out of the meringue. If the peaks go soft and flat, continue mixing another minute and check once again for a stiff peak. Begin testing for stiff peak formation @ 3 minutes; stiff peaks should form by the 4th minute. ______________________ When placing the meringue on your pie, make sure to seal the edges of pie very well with the meringue because the meringue will contract during the baking process. You want it to come out of the oven with the edges sealed. I also sprinkle approximately 1/2 to a teaspoon of coconut flakes atop the meringue before browning the meringue, for decorative purposes. Enjoy and let me know how your family and friends love your Coconut Pie, ok?
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!