Funny how certain foods will evoke great memories. When I was a small child, our family often went to a tiny local restaurant in North Tryon, PEI, on Sunday evenings for dinner. Simmons’ Restaurant was built and run by Jean and Harold Simmons and they served up really good traditional home-cooked meals. One of the desserts I most fondly remember from their restaurant was coconut cream pie with mile-high meringue. Every time I have coconut cream pie, I remember Sunday dinners at the Simmons’ restaurant.
While not all coconut cream pie recipes use coconut milk, I have included it in my recipe to give the pie extra coconut flavor. It does make a difference. Some tips on successfully making custard pies:
- Whisk the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients to make a smooth custard.
- Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs while they are cold but let them come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before using them in either the custard or the meringue. Room temperature eggs will blend better into the custard and, for the meringue, they will whip faster with more volume.
- Temper the beaten eggs with a couple of tablespoons of the hot custard mixture before adding the eggs to the custard. This will prevent the eggs from curdling.
- Stir the custard constantly as it cooks to prevent it from scorching.
- Add the sugar slowly to the egg whites when making the meringue and do so after first beating the egg whites to the soft peak stage.
- Work quickly to make the meringue as it is important that it be applied to piping hot custard in order for it to seal to the filling. This will also help prevent the meringue from shrinking.
- When applying the meringue to the pie, make sure it completely covers the custard, right to the pie shell edges. This will seal in the custard and will also help to keep the meringue from shrinking.
For my pastry recipe and tips and hints for making pie pastry, click here.
Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients:
1 – 9” pie shell, baked
¾ cup granulated sugar
3½ tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup whole milk or 10% blend cream
3 extra large egg yolks, slightly beaten (reserve egg whites for meringue)
1½ tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond flavoring
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Meringue:
3 extra-large egg whites, room temperature for 30 minutes
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp vanilla
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut
Method:
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium-sized saucepan.
Combine coconut milk and milk (or blend cream). Gradually whisk liquid ingredients into the sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (apx 10-15 minutes).
Stir approximately 2 tbsp of the hot custard mixture into the beaten egg yolks then pour the eggs into the custard and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove custard from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and almond flavoring. Gently stir in the coconut.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
To make meringue, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla together until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar while continuing to beat egg whites. Beat until stiff peaks form.
Pour hot coconut custard into cooled, baked pie shell.
Spread meringue over hot custard, spreading to the edges of pie shell to completely seal it.
Swirl meringue into decorative peaks with the tip of a knife, if desired. Sprinkle with coconut.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until meringue is lightly tanned in color. Cool pie on wire rack for at least 3 hours before serving.
Yield: 1 – 9” pie
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Ingredients
- 1 – 9” pie shell, baked
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3½ tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup whole milk or 10% blend cream
- 3 extra large egg yolks, slightly beaten (reserve egg whites for meringue)
- 1½ tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp almond flavoring
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- Meringue:
- 3 extra-large egg whites, room temperature for 30 minutes
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium-sized saucepan.
- Combine coconut milk and milk (or blend cream). Gradually whisk liquid ingredients into the sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (apx 10-15 minutes).
- Stir approximately 2 tbsp of the hot custard mixture into the beaten egg yolks then pour the eggs into the custard and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove custard from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and almond flavoring. Gently stir in the coconut.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To make meringue, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla together until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar while continuing to beat egg whites. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Pour hot coconut custard into cooled, baked pie shell. Spread meringue over hot custard, spreading to the edges of pie shell to completely seal it. Swirl meringue into decorative peaks with the tip of a knife, if desired. Sprinkle with coconut. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until meringue is lightly tanned in color. Cool pie on wire rack for at least 3 hours before serving.
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