Coconut Cream Pie

Crust

2 cups of flaked coconut
3 tablespoons melted butter

Toss the coconut well with the melted butter. Turn the coconut mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Spread the mixture evenly across the plate and press along the bottom and up the sides. Press really well to form a firm, even crust. Bake in a preheated 325 degrees oven for 20 minutes or till golden brown. Cool completely on a rack.

Filling

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups milk
4 eggs, divided (you will need the yolks, use the whites for something else)
3 tablespoons of melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 teaspoon of coconut flavoring
1 1/4 cups of Shredded coconut

In a saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch,and salt. Gradually stir in milk and cook, stirring the mixture until thick and bubbly. Reduce the heat, cook and stir for another 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Gradually stir a small amount of the mixture into the 4 egg yolks then add all of the yolks to the creamed mixture. Return everything to a boil and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, add the butter, vanilla and coconut flavoring. Stir in the coconut.

Pour this luscious coconut filling into your cooled crust. Allow the pie to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate covered with plastic wrap.

While the pie is cooling, toast some nice, big, chunky coconut in a dry skillet over low heat. Toast just until slightly golden. Cool completely. When ready to serve. Top the pie with whipped cream and then sprinkle with toasted coconut.

If you enjoy meringue, feel free to use the egg whites to whip up a meringue topping and toast as you would with any meringue.
We prefer whipped topping, so I have used the whites in other food applications this week.

Could you use flaked coconut throughout this entire recipe and skip past using the shredded and chunked coconut?
Yes, of course you could. What makes this pie awesome is the flavor but the different textures of the coconut just pushed this pie into the most excellent classification.

I'm in love with the LorAnn Oils. The coconut flavoring I used in this recipe really makes a difference. Click on over and check this company out. No, they are not paying me.

P.S. Take out the coconut and coconut flavoring- substitute vanilla extract and 3 sliced bananas on the crust before pouring in the custard. Banana Cream Pie Baby!