Coconut Cream Pie (Nene’s Variation)

Vanilla Cream Pie (for variations, see noted at end)

10-inch pie *                                     (amounts for two pies)
10 inch baked pie shell
¾ cup sugar ………………….         (1 ½ c.)
¼ cup +  3 T. cornstarch ……….     (3/4 c. mounded about 3 T. more) 
1 tsp. salt ………………………       (2 tsp.)
4 cups milk (use whole or 2 %) …   (8 c.)
5 egg yolks ………………………..  (10 yolks)
3 Tbsp. butter softened ………        (6 Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. vanilla…             (3 T. (or so)

Bake pie shell. Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Blend milk and egg yolks; gradually stir into sugar mixture, stirring to get lumps out as you slowly pour into sugar.  Cook over medium heat until thickened and then boil for one minute. (it's a very slow boil)  Remove from heat and blend in butter and vanilla. Immediately pour into baked pie shell; press plastic wrap (I used wax paper or parchment paper) onto filling. Chill pies thoroughly, at least 2 hours. If desired, serve pie with sweetened whipped Cream.

Variations:

Coconut Cream Pie: Make vanilla pie filling except – decrease vanilla to 2 tsp. (4 tsp.)  and stir in 1 c., or more to taste, flaked coconut (2 c.). Sprinkle coconut on top of whipped cream to garnish (and add flavor, of course).

Chocolate Cream Pie: Make vanilla filling except – increase sugar to 1 ½ cups (3 c.) and cornstarch to 1/3 c. (2/3 c.). Omit butter and stir in 2 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate with the vanilla.

Banana Cream Pie: 2 Ripe bananas (4). Peel and slice bananas, arrange layer of banana slices about 1/2" deep in baked pie shell. Pour in cooled filling. Chill thoroughly. Top with sweetened whipped cream.

If you have too much filling then put it in bowl and eat it ☺


Brony’s Pie Crust

2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
2/3 c. shortening including at least 2 Tbsp. butter  (Clancy uses all butter)
5 – 7 Tbsp. water


Combine flour, salt, and sugar in large mixing bowl. With pastry cutter or fork, cut shortening/butter into flour mixture until it is all fine meal texture. Stir in water. Form 2 balls. Roll into desired size. Note: Originally, this had no sugar or butter.  The less you work the dough, the flakier this will be.