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Original Coconut Cream Pie

Source of Recipe


From "Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pies" by Mollie Cox Bryan



List of Ingredients



• 1 prebaked pie crust
  
• 3 egg yolks
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• ¼ cup cornstarch
  
• ¼ to ½ cup water
  
• 3 cups milk
  
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 recipe Mrs. Rowe's Meringue (recipe follows)
  






Instructions



1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
   
   
2. Stir together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and just enough of the water to make a smooth paste. Heat the milk in a double boiler set over simmering water. When the milk begins to steam, gradually whisk in the egg mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in ¾ cup of the coconut, the butter, and the vanilla.
   
   
3. Pour the filling into the crust and top with the meringue, sealing the edges well. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup coconut over the meringue. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown and it's firm to the careful touch. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours before slicing.
   
   Makes one (9-inch) pie.
   
   ............
   
   MRS. ROWE'S MERINGUE
   
   • 4 egg whites, at room temperature
   • ¼ tsp cream of tartar
   • 3 Tbsp sugar
   
   Combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in a chilled bowl and beat with an electric mixer on slow to medium speed until soft peaks form.
   
   Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue beating on slow to medium speed until the whites form stiff peaks but aren't dry. The meringue is now ready to pile lightly over a pie.