Kays Coconut Cream Pie Recipes

THE BEST COCONUT CREAM PIE

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles yellow cornmeal mixed with bean-size bits of butter, about 10 times. Add the egg and pulse 4 to 5 times until the dough forms a ball. (If the dough is very dry add up to a tablespoon more of cold water.)
• Transfer the dough to a work surface. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.
• Roll the dough on a lightly-floured surface into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan and trim the edges, leaving about an extra inch hanging over the edge. Tuck the overhanging dough underneath itself to form a thick edge that is even with the rim. Flute the edge as desired. Freeze the pie shell for 30 minutes.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Put a piece of parchment paper or foil over the pie shell and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake on a baking sheet on the center rack until the dough is set, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and lift the sides of the parchment to remove the beans. Continue baking until the pie shell is lightly golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
• For the filling: Whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the milk and the cornstarch in a medium bowl until smooth and well combined. Stir together the remaining 3/4 cup milk, the half-and-half, sugar and kosher salt in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat until barely simmering. Temper the egg yolks by slowly pouring the hot milk and cream into the egg yolks while continuing to whisk. Pour the custard back into the pan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the custard is very thick and smooth, about 5 minutes; it will be the consistency of a pudding. (If the filling has scrambled a bit, or doesn't look smooth, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate bowl before adding the coconut.) Stir in the butter until melted, then stir in the vanilla and shredded coconut. Spread the filling into the cooled pie crust. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pie and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
• For the meringue: Add the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and kosher salt to the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture feels very hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and add the vanilla. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and gently mound the meringue on top of the filling. Use an offset spatula to completely cover the filling and meet the crust all around the edges. (This will completely seal in the filling and help prevent weeping.) Use the offset spatula to form swirls and peaks in the meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen torch or broil in the oven until golden brown, keeping an eye on the meringue if broiling. Sprinkle all over with toasted coconut and serve.

KAY'S COCONUT CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Bake that pie crust... I bake mine on 400 around 10 to 12 minutes, if my memory is correct. Combine cornstartch and 2/3rds Cup sugar with salt blending all together with fork. (Thoroughly mix well, breaking up all cornstarch lumps, raking down the sides of the bowl thoroughly. This is critical that you blend all three very well so take your time and spend at least 1 or 2 minutes melding all together very well.) Add 1 tablespoon of your whole milk and blend well with mixer. Add another tablespoon of whole milk, slowly blending and raking down the sides of the bowl. (Do not rush adding milk at this stage because this blending process must be smooth and creamy, without lumps. (Rushing to add too much milk too quickly will most likely ruin your pie filling so take your time and be very thorough in blending all ingredients together smoothly.) Once you have Blended several Tablespoons of milk, you may gradually add 1/4th of a cup of milk at a time until you use up a full cup of milk. Now add your 2nd cup of milk, blending well; Add the third cup of milk and blend well. At this stage, there should be no lumps, and the uncooked custard should be very smoothly blended together.)
• Place the bowl of uncooked custard in the Microwave and cook for 2 minutes. Stir thoroughly with a spatula making sure to scrape down the sides of your custard. Microwave for 2 more minutes and then blend well with your spatula once again. (At this stage, your custard should be thicker around the outer sides of your round glass bowl so thoroughly blend well. (If there are any lumps, it is because you most likely failed in your earlier mixing stage to thoroughly blend well. Pull it out and see if you can break these lumps up with your mixer. (Wipe the mixer clean before mixing the hot custard) If it doesnt need the electric mixer, proceed cooking for 2 more minutes until the center of the custard, in the bowl, is cooked until very thick. Next, beat your egg yolks on low speed and then blend some of the hot custard into your egg yolks thoroughly. Stir egg yolks into remaining hot custard mixture, raking down the sides of bowl to thoroughly mix all ingredients thoroughly. Cook in Microwave once again for 1 1/2 minutes to 2 minutes. TOTAL COOKING TIME (including adding the egg yolks)~~~ 8 to 9 minutes!
• Remove from Microwave, stir thoroughly once again and add your 3/4 cup of coconut and 1 tsp of vanilla, blending well. Cool the custard then pour into baked pastry pie shell. (I think the wattage of my microwave is around 1000 to 1200 so keep this in mind. Just pretend your wattage is like mine and try it my way first. You do not need extra cornstarch nor less milk with this recipe. Your pie will be a success if you follow my directions. I failed too many times and I have modified this recipe for even a 13 year old child to be successful now.)
• ***MERINGUE*** Beat egg whites until foamy and add a dash or two of cream of tartar (if you wish) at this time. Continue beating for at least 1 minute then slowly add a tablespoon of sugar at a time while blending well. (I sprinkle the 1/2 cup of sugar slowly into the mixing bowl straight from the cup. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. This will take a total time of 3 to 4 minutes from beginning to end of the process for making meringue.) **Meringue TIP*** To make meringue, mix on high speed and to check for stiff peaks, turn off your mixer and lift the mixer out of the meringue. If the peaks go soft and flat, continue mixing another minute and check once again for a stiff peak. Begin testing for stiff peak formation @ 3 minutes; stiff peaks should form by the 4th minute. ______________________ When placing the meringue on your pie, make sure to seal the edges of pie very well with the meringue because the meringue will contract during the baking process. You want it to come out of the oven with the edges sealed. I also sprinkle approximately 1/2 to a teaspoon of coconut flakes atop the meringue before browning the meringue, for decorative purposes. Enjoy and let me know how your family and friends love your Coconut Pie, ok?

OLD FASHIONED COCONUT CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake it, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the half-and-half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt and mix well. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut and the vanilla extract. Reserve the remaining coconut to top the pie.
• Pour the filling into the pie shell and chill until firm, about 4 hours.
• Top with whipped topping and with the reserved coconut.