Not to be confused with Coconut Cream Pie, this Southern Coconut Pie has a chewy, custard filling and meringue topping. This pie was a staple in our house when I was growing up, and I still make one for my dad's birthday every year. I've never met anyone who doesn't love it. Let me now what you think.
Southern Coconut Pie
Ingredients:
Baked 9” Pie Shell*
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
½ cup milk
1 melted stick of butter (½ cup)
½ teas. salt
3 eggs, separated
1 heaping cup sweetened, flaked coconut
Extra coconut (maybe ¼ cup) to sprinkle on top
½ teas. vanilla
¼ cup sugar for the meringue
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2) Place first five ingredients, along with the egg yolks in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Continue to heat and stir until a wooden spoon can cut a path in the mixture. It should be thick, falling in clumps off the spoon. Remove from heat.
3) Stir in coconut and vanilla. Pour into baked pie shell.
4) Make the meringue: Beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add in sugar. Continue beating until stiff. Pour on top of pie.
5) Sprinkle extra coconut on top of meringue.
6) Bake until golden. Keep a close eye on it!
7) Store leftover pie in refrigerator.
Tips:
· I cheat and use a frozen pill shell. I used to make my own until one day I was in a hurry and bought a frozen one. My husband raved about how good it was! So why bother making my own, when the frozen one is better?
· Do not walk away from the stove while cooking this! It may seem like it’s taking forever to boil, but once it gets going, it goes quickly. Also, stirring is imperative! If you get distracted and/or stop stirring, you will end up with a burnt, gooey, inedible substance stuck to the bottom of your pot, almost impossible to get clean. (Voice of experience here.)
· Same thing when baking it. Turn on the light in your oven and watch it closely. If you don’t have a light, open that sucker and peek in often.