Did you know that today is Pi day? March 14 or 3.14159265358979... I remember learning about Pi in high school, but there was never any pie associated with it. I guess Pi day is a bonus of being a food blogger!
My dad’s favorite pie is coconut cream. Occasionally, he’s been known to make more than one in a week if the craving strikes. This pie does take a few steps, but it’s well worth it. I'd say it only takes about 45 minutes to assemble the pie. First you cook the pie crust, then you make the cream, next you make the meringue to top it, and finally you bake it for a few minutes to brown the meringue. There’s a good reason it’s my dad’s favorite though. It's very tasty.
You'll need a prebaked pie crust to start.
A few notes:
Once you have your cooked cream, you'll want to strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
My dad’s favorite pie is coconut cream. Occasionally, he’s been known to make more than one in a week if the craving strikes. This pie does take a few steps, but it’s well worth it. I'd say it only takes about 45 minutes to assemble the pie. First you cook the pie crust, then you make the cream, next you make the meringue to top it, and finally you bake it for a few minutes to brown the meringue. There’s a good reason it’s my dad’s favorite though. It's very tasty.
You'll need a prebaked pie crust to start.
A few notes:
Once you have your cooked cream, you'll want to strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
Unless you are amazing at tempering your eggs (and maybe even if you are), you should strain anything with cooked eggs to trap any egg pieces. If you don’t do this, your cream could taste like egg, and that is not what it should taste like. Please, please strain any homemade puddings, creams, custards, etc. You'll thank me when they don't taste like egg.
Once you have the strained mixture, add the butter and vanilla and stir until melted. Then add in your coconut and mix and pour into your baked pie crust.
To make the meringue:
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form, like this:
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form, like this:
Coconut Cream
Print this recipe
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten (reserve whites for meringue)
1 cup flaked coconut
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 baked pie crust
In a saucepan, mix together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add milk and whisk till smooth. Place pan over medium high heat and cook, stirring, until it starts to bubble and thickens. Off the heat, pour a little mixture slowly into your eggs while stirring, then add the hot eggs to the pan (this is tempering your eggs). Bring to a small boil and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Add the butter and vanilla and stir until melted. Then add in your coconut, stir, and pour into your baked pie crust.
Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4-1/2 cup flaked coconut
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form.
Spread the meringue evenly over filling and seal onto the pie crust edges. Form peaks by lifting a spoon in the meringue. Sprinkle the coconut on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until browned. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Source: Barely adapted from Taste of Home
Print this recipe
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten (reserve whites for meringue)
1 cup flaked coconut
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 baked pie crust
In a saucepan, mix together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add milk and whisk till smooth. Place pan over medium high heat and cook, stirring, until it starts to bubble and thickens. Off the heat, pour a little mixture slowly into your eggs while stirring, then add the hot eggs to the pan (this is tempering your eggs). Bring to a small boil and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Strain this mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Add the butter and vanilla and stir until melted. Then add in your coconut, stir, and pour into your baked pie crust.
Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4-1/2 cup flaked coconut
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form.
Spread the meringue evenly over filling and seal onto the pie crust edges. Form peaks by lifting a spoon in the meringue. Sprinkle the coconut on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until browned. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Source: Barely adapted from Taste of Home
