Coconut Cream Pie - October

I think Coconut Cream Pie from scratch is still my all time favorite pie!  I always thought it was so difficult, but this one was actually pretty easy to make, although a bit time consuming.  It was so smooth and rich, my mouth is watering all over again just typing about it!

This was October's dessert Pie of the Month, and it did not disappoint!  No leftovers...

Coconut Cream Pie    

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 1 9-inch pie

1 (9 inch) baked pie crust

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup flaked coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

6 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 cup flaked coconut

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.     Stir half-and-half, coconut milk, eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a saucepan; stirring constantly, slowly bring to a boil over low heat and cook until thick, about 30 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; fold 3/4 cup coconut into the mixture with the vanilla extract. Pour the coconut mixture into the baked pie crust.

3.     Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl until foamy. Gradually add cream of tartar and 6 tablespoons white sugar, continuing to beat until soft peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites will form soft mounds rather than a sharp peak. Spread egg white mixture over the pie. Sprinkle 1/2 cup coconut over the pie.

4.     Bake in preheated oven until the top is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool until completely cooled to the touch, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Dang...now I wanna go make another one for tonight!