Coconut Cream Pie

178

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
2/3 cups all-purpose flour*
8 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup evaporated milk
4 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons butter
1 small can Baker's Angel Flake Coconut, divided
1/2 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Two 9-inch deep-dish baked pie shells

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Whisk first listed sugar and flour thoroughly in a heavy 3-4 quart saucepan. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks until well blended. Stir egg yolks, evaporated milk, and whole milk into sugar/flour mixture, blending well. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture becomes very thick.
Remove from heat. (If mixture is lumpy, just beat with a hand-held electric mixer until smooth again. You may have to put it back on the stove and cook it a little longer to thicken the custard again.) Stir in vanilla and butter. Blend well. Stir in coconut, reserving 3-4 tablespoons to top meringue. Pour into baked and cooled pie shells.
Meringue: Beat room temperature egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Divide meringue between the two pies, mounding in center and spreading and sealing to edges of pie. Top of meringue should not be smooth but have peaks and valleys. Sprinkle with the 3-4 tablespoons reserved coconut. Bake at 325°F for 10-15 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned (watch carefully).
Cool thoroughly before cutting (4-5 hours). Refrigerate leftovers.
VARIATIONS: Mother's Chocolate Pie: Add 4 tablespoons cocoa powder to sugar/flour mixture, leave out coconut and proceed as above
Mother's Banana Pudding: Leave out coconut and use eggs whole as there is no meringue in this recipe. But, if you like meringue on banana pudding, separate 5 eggs and use the egg whites to make a meringue. Use 3 whole eggs and 5 egg yolks for the custard. In large bowl, layer hot pudding mixture with vanilla wafers and bananas sliced 1/4" to 1/3" thick -- a layer of vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and then enough hot custard to barely cover. Continue layering vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and custard, ending with custard on top. Serve warm or room temperature.

Imperial Sugar Insight

NOTE: This is my Mother's recipe. She passed away a few months ago, so this recipe is even more special to me. Mother was a cook that added until it "looked right". When she made this pie, I measured everything to "get the recipe". With just a few changes, you can make my Mother's Chocolate Pie, Mother's Banana Pudding, and Chocolate or Vanilla Pudding. If you've never had hot Chocolate Pudding you don't know what you are missing. My family doesn't like it cold. Make the pie filling -- just don't put it in a pie shell. Mother made pudding almost every night for supper, either chocolate or vanilla, and it was served hot. More than yum.

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