Sunday, September 9, 2007

This Week's Recipe - Coconut Cream Pie

So this is a bit late this week. Friday was Trevor's birthday and Saturday we spent the day in Denver. We went to the Museum of Nature and Science and enjoyed the Titanic exhibit.

This week’s recipe is Coconut Cream Pie - Trevor's very favorite. I make this for him on special occasions. Anytime I've made this for a party, I get rave reviews. It's not the easiest thing to make but it's sure worth the time and efforts.

A couple tips before I write out the recipe. I use a pre made pie crust. Be very careful to not burn the filling, stir constantly and don't use high heat. I use a wire whisk to stir, but be sure to use a spoon to get the corner of the pan after you mix in the milk to get out any flour stuck there. A Kitchen Aid mixer is a god send for meringue! I've never had meringue turn out better!

This is the pie I made last weekend for a Labor Day BBQ-



Coconut Cream Pie

From Better Homes and Garden Complete Step-by-step Cook Book 1978
(This cook book is one of my very favorites, my mom's too. I found this vintage copy at an antique store locally)

Filling
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
4 slightly beaten egg yolks
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

Meringue
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

Prepare crust by baking according to pre-made box directions or from scratch recipe. Bake in a 9 inch pie pan and cool.

In a medium saucepan combine the 1 cup sugar, the flour, and salt; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove saucepan from heat.

Stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks; immediately return all mixture to the hot mixture in the saucepan. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and the 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir in 1 cup of the coconut. Poor into cooled baked pastry shell.

To make meringue, beat egg whites with the 1 teaspoon vanilla and the cream of tartar till soft peaks form. Gradually add the 1/2 cup sugar, beating to stiff peaks. Spread over hot filling, sealing to edges. Sprinkle meringue with the remaining coconut. Bake in 350 oven for 12 to 15 minutes or till meringue is golden brown. Cool; chill.

When cutting a meringue pie, dip the knife in water before cutting. The meringue does not stick to the wet knife as it would to a dry one.

I can't say I have ever cut this pie and scooped out a piece where it looked nice. It always seams to just pile up. But, like I say, it may not look pretty, but it tastes great!

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