Coconut Cream Pie

It was definitely time to make a treat at my house this week. Waiting to do our taxes until the very last minute was just the tip of the iceberg. I won't bore you with any details since everyone has a stressful week once in a while, but let's just say it was the kind of week that had to result in a cream pie of sorts.

Now, I'm a pretty big cream pie fan. I like them all--chocolate, banana, butterscotch---mmmm...could be my favorite dessert (next to something with berries). But there is a special place in my stomach for a nice Coconut Cream Pie...and I like it best with real whipped cream on top and a graham cracker crust. Here is my rendition:

Coconut Cream Pie 
Printable Recipe

Crust:

1 sleeve (18) graham crackers

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

1/2 cup flour or 1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup sugar

3 cups milk or coconut milk

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla (add a tablespoon of bourbon, if preferred)

1 cup coconut

Topping:

1 tablespoon coconut

1 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 ° F.

Place graham crackers and pecans in blender or food processor and pulse chop until mixture is fine. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix until incorporated.

The pecans and cinnamon add a little flavor to the crust. Swap out coconut oil for the butter, if you prefer.

Press graham cracker mixture into a 9" pie plate. Bake in preheated oven for 6-9 minutes, or until edges turn golden. Allow crust to cool completely.

In medium saucepan, whisk together the flour or cornstarch and the sugar. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Heat over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken and bubble. Beat 1 cup of the pudding into the egg yolks and then add the yolks to the pudding in the pan. Continue to cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and coconut. Pour coconut pudding into the cooled crust, place plastic wrap on top of the pudding and chill for several hours.

I had no bourbon or coconut rum in the house, so I used Butterscotch Schnapps to flavor the custard. Holy Yum! 

Place one tablespoon coconut on a non-stick piece of foil and put in toaster oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown (watch carefully--it can burn quickly). Set aside.

Whip whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Top the chilled pie with the whipping cream and sprinkle with the toasted coconut.

Awww...go ahead. Make one for your mother. Better yet, make one for yourself and share with your mother. Isn't Mother's Day coming up?

Lemon Angel Pie

For many, many years, my signature pie has been a Chocolate Angel Pie. I make one for every holiday and special occasion. What is an angel pie, you ask? Simply, it is a pie with a meringue crust. It looks spectacular. It tastes even better. And it isn’t hard to make.

Several years ago, my mother-in-law came to live with us and I made her one of my Chocolate Angel Pies. She liked it. But, after polishing off her second piece, she wondered out loud if there existed a lemon version. Now, I knew the Lemon Angel Pie existed, but rather than search for the recipe, I came up with one on my own. I liked it. I liked it a lot. And I’m not one for lemony things. Let me present to you the Lemon Angel Pie:

Lemon Angel Pie

4 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten (I use dried egg whites)
1 (8 oz) container non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Grease (or use cooking spray) a 9” glass pie plate.

3. In large bowl, beat 4 egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff, but not dry. Add sugar slowly until stiff and glossy.

4. Spread meringue in pie plate, making a “well” in the center for the filling.

5. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off the heat and leave crust in oven for at least one hour or, preferably, overnight.

6. In small, heavy saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, and sugar. Heat over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and starts to bubble. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool to room temperature.

7. Fold beaten egg whites into lemon mixture (for years, I just used regular uncooked egg whites to do this, but I figure my time is about up for being lucky and not getting sick from them, so now I use powdered egg whites for this step. You can probably skip this part altogether, but I think it adds a bit of lift to the filling) and then fold in whipped topping.

Couldn't you just swim in this stuff?

8. Spread lemon mixture into pie shell and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for several hours.

9. When ready to serve, whip whipping cream with powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie. Garnish with lemon zest.

Using a glass pie plate, and making sure to grease it well, are key to being able to cut and serve this pie!