Southern coconut meringue pie

The Wee P is still interested in cooking and baking, so I threw him a curve ball and skipped the basic lessons and went intermediate.  He learned how to use a double boiler, scald milk and to make the dreaded meringue topping. Besides a spill on the stove top and a cornstarch "bomb", everything thing went well.

My cooking cheats will be below the instructions.

Ingredients:

Pie Filling-
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 t leveled salt
2 1/2 T cornstarch
1 T melted butter
2 cups scalded milk
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 t vanilla or can use Malibu rum
1/4 t nutmeg
9 inch pre made pie shell-baked (follow instructions on package)

Meringue topping-
3 egg whites at room temperature
1/4 t cream of tartar
pinch of salt
2/3 c superfine sugar

Let's start with the pie first. Keep in mind to read my tips below, it will save time.

Preheat oven to 300 - Start off by beating the egg yolks - Beat in sugar, salt, cornstarch & butter gradually - Pour in milk & blend - Cook over double boiler, stir constantly until thick - Add coconut & cool - Add vanilla/rum & nutmeg, then pour into baked shell - Cover with meringue & bake for 20 minutes.  Cool for a couple of hours before serving.

Making the meringue: In a medium glass bowl, beat the three eggs white with an electric mixer - Add 1/4 t cream of tartar & a pinch of salt - Begin beating slowly & this will produce small, stable bubbles - After a minute or two, increase the speed & beat until soft peaks form - Beat in 2/3-cup of superfine sugar, 2 T at a time until stiff peaks form, which will take 7 to 10 minutes.


*NOTES- Wondering what a double boiler is? Basically its a pot and a metal bowl on top of each other. The bottom pan is filled with water and then the bowl on top has the pie mixture. (can use this method in melting chocolates)

Scalding milk on the stove sucks! So I do it in the microwave. Cook for 4-5 minutes, and so it doesn't boil over add in a chopstick, bamboo skewer or anything wood. Watch and stop after 30 seconds of boiling.

If you don't have superfine sugar, it's easy to make your own. In a blender or food processor put in the sugar and grind till it's very fine.

When making meringue, make sure there's not a lot of moisture on the air. Otherwise it won't form.

If you have any questions, send me a comment.

Before sugar

After- superfine sugar