Aunt Millie's Pineapple Coconut Cream Pie!

  

This pie puts a little twist on a traditional coconut cream pie by adding just a touch of pineapple to it.  My Aunt Millie, of Aunt Millie's Tinker Cake fame, is the creator of this recipe in our family.  Well, I don't actually know if she created it, but she is who is known for making it in our family.   She doesn't even remember who she got the recipe from or where.

 She thinks she might have just made it up.  This is hands down, my husband's favorite pie, but he doesn't meet a lot of pie he doesn't like.  This just has that tropical flavor to it that makes it extra good.   Here is what you will need:

1 lightly baked 9" pie shell
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour (can use cornstarch)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks, beaten (save whites for meringue)
2 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup coconut, divided (use 1/2 cup in pie and 1/2 cup on top)
8 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 tsp. vanilla

Meringue

3 egg whites

1 tsp. baking powder

4 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. corn starch

1 tsp. vanilla

Take your eggs out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before starting...about an hour ahead of time.  This is one of the keys to good meringue making.

Bake pie shell in 350 degree oven just until lightly browned. 

Mix the first four ingredients over  low heat.  Stir continuously until the mixture starts to thicken.  Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix. Cook for about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.  Stir well.  Add coconut and crushed pineapple.  Pour into the browned pie shell.

For the meringue, add 1 tsp. of baking powder to the egg whites and start to beat the whites with an electric mixer on high. Gradually add in 4 Tbs. of sugar, continuing to beat. When stiff peaks start to form (this takes some time) add in 1 tsp. of corn starch and 1 tsp. of vanilla.

 Don't go too heavy on the vanilla or it will change the color of your meringue or use the colorless.  Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry before you start making the meringue.   Any oil or residue will cause the meringue not to be high and light.

This is what the meringue should look like when it's stiff enough.

Spread the meringue evenly over the pie filling making sure to 'seal' the meringue to all of the edges of the crust.  This just means to be sure not to leave any air pockets.  This is why people have meringue that shrinks and pulls away from the sides of the pie or falls.  Just make sure it touches the sides all the way around. 

Sprinkle with the other 1/2 cup of coconut.  Place in a 350 degree oven, just until the coconut starts to brown...about 8-10 minutes, all ovens vary.  Watch it close because coconut burns quickly.

Aunt Millie's Pineapple Coconut Cream Pie...it's delicious!