National Pie Day: Coconut Cream Pie

Happy National Pie Day!

Created by the American Pie Council, National Pie Day is dedicated to the celebration of pie.

The American Pie Council is encouraging pie lovers across the nation to throw a pie party to pass on the love and enjoyment of pie eating and pie making.

My favorite is Coconut Cream...

Here's a delicious recipe from Nancie McDermott's book, "Southern Pies: A Gracious Plenty of Pie Recipes, From Lemon Chess to Chocolate Pecan."

Ingredients:

For the crust

• Lard and Butter Pie Crust (use 1/2 the recipe)

For the custard filling

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 1/4 cups milk, preferably whole milk
• 1 1/4 cups shredded or flaked coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the meringue

• 3 large egg whites
• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 375° F (190°C).

2. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the pastry, then crimp the edges decoratively. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans or rice or pie weights. Bake until the crust is very lightly browned and somewhat dry, about 10 minutes. Remove the pie pan from the oven, carefully lift out the parchment paper and weights, and return the pie crust in the pan to the oven until it is dry and nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let it cool to room temperature.

Make the custard filling

1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl. Use a fork or a whisk to mix them well. In another small bowl, beat the egg yolks.

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk almost to a boil, stirring it as it begins to steam. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the hot milk with a measuring cup and pour it into the beaten egg yolks, stirring constantly as you pour. This warms up the eggs and discourages them from curdling. Pour the bowl of egg yolk-milk mixture into the milk in the pan over medium heat and stir well.

3. Add the sugar-cornstarch mixture to the warm egg-and-milk mixture and stir until dissolved. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard mixture becomes very smooth and has thickened to about the consistency of cream. Cook for about 1 minute more and then remove the pan from the heat.

4. Add 1 cup of the coconut, the butter, and vanilla to the custard in the pan. Stir to mix everything. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard and set it aside to cool to room temperature. When the custard has cooled down, remove the plastic wrap and pour it into the piecrust.

Make the meringue

1. Heat the oven to 350° F (176°C)

2. Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat the egg whites until they swell up into plump, shiny, soft clouds that hold firm, curly peaks.

3. Scoop the meringue on top of the cooled custard filling, spreading the meringue all the way to the crust and mounding the meringue up slightly in the center of the pie. Create swoops and swirls in the meringue for decorative effect and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of the coconut over the top of the meringue.

4. Place the coconut cream pie on the middle rack of the oven and bake until the meringue is a beautiful golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Place the pie on a cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel and let cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or, if desired, refrigerate and serve chilled.

Buon Appetito!