Coconut Meringue Pie

   
Dolores Okonski Johnson

Crust:

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 c. shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water  

a)      Stir together flour and salt using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size.

b)      Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork.  Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl.  Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened.
Form dough into a ball.

c)      On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough.  Roll dough from
center to edge into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.

d)      To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin.  Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate.

       Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it.

e)      Trim pastry to ½ inch beyond edge of pie plate.  Fold under extra pastry.  Crimp edges as desired.  Prick bottom and edge of pastry with fork.  Line pastry with a double thickness of foil.  Bake 450 for 8 minutes.  Remove foil.  Bake 5 to 6 minutes until golden.
 

Custard:

2/3 cups sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
¾ cup coconut (for custard)

a)      Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in a sauce pan. 

b)      Blend milk and egg yolks, gradually stir into sugar mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute. 

c)      Remove from heat, blend in butter and vanilla.

d)       Stir in ¾ cup flaked coconut.

e)       Immediately pour into baked pie shell.

Meringue:

 4 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla

  a)      Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. 

b)      Beat in sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time

c)      Continue beating until stiff & glossy.  Do not underbeat.

d)      Beat in vanilla

e)      Spread over coconut custard and shape into peaks.

f)        Sprinkle ¼ coconut over meringue

g)      Bake on 400 until the meringue turns golden or about 8-10 minutes

Note:  Watch carefully to make sure the meringue does not burn; adjust heat if needed.