Coconut Cream Pie

Yummy memories of my Mom's coconut cream pie caused me to pull out my recipes to look for hers.  I couldn't find it so I called her and got the scoop-- an easy, delicious pie recipe you can use to make any cream pie....

Mom's Coconut Cream Pie

1        Pie shell-blind baked

Filling:

1/3C  Flour

2/3C  Sugar

1/4t    Salt

2C     Milk

3        Egg Yolks (set egg whites aside)

2T     Butter

1T     Vanilla (add coconut extract optional)

1/4C  Flaked coconut (optional)

Meringue: 

3        Egg whites

1/4C  Sugar

Flaked coconut (optional)

Using a heavy pan, cook the flour, sugar, salt, and milk until thick. Turn burner down to simmer and temper the egg yolks then add them to the pan.  Cook 2 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Add butter, vanilla and/or coconut extract. Pour into baked pie shell.

Beat egg whites in large bowl with electric mixer.  Once frothy, add sugar and beat until stiff peaks. Spread on top of pie filling and sprinkle flaked coconut on top. Place pie under the broiler to brown the meringue.  

To make Chocolate Cream:

Increase sugar to 1 Cup and substitute 1T Cocoa for vanilla extract.