Page 106 - United States of Pie

Remove the milk mixture from the heat, and stir in the sugar until it’s
dissolved.
In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of the milk mixture with the

cornstarch, and stir until smooth. In a separate small bowl, combine
another ½ cup of the milk mixture with the egg yolks and salt to
temper the yolks. Add both the cornstarch and the egg yolk mixtures
to the saucepan, and stir into the remaining milk mixture.
Return the saucepan to medium heat, and cook the milk mixture,
whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low
and continue cooking until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. At
this point, the mixture should have the consistency of a loose

pudding that coats the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the
heat and stir in the butter and the vanilla. Reserve ¼ cup of the
toasted coconut for garnish, and fold the remaining ½ cup into the
pudding. Pour the pudding into the prepared pie shell. Place a piece
of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming,

and refrigerate until entirely chilled, about 4 hours.
When you are ready to serve the pie, combine the heavy cream
and the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl, and whip until it forms soft
peaks. Remove the pie from the refrigerator and mound the whipped
cream on top. Sprinkle the reserved coconut on top of the whipped
cream, and serve.

Note:
To toast coconut, spread it out on a baking sheet and bake it in a

preheated 325°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.