Coconut Meringue pie is a classic dessert that’s elegant and declines! This homemade pie is great for special occasions and is a great recipe to keep on hand for the coconut lover in your life!
Author:Tiffany Marie
Prep Time:1 hour
Cook Time:30 minutes
Total Time:1hr 30 min + cooling time
Yield:1 pie 1x
Category:Dessert
Method:Oven
Cuisine:American
Ingredients
Crust:
1 recipe single-crust pie dough, fully baked and cooled
Measure Ingredients: The filling needs to be warm when applying the meringue, so it’s essential to work quickly to make it. I suggest having all the ingredients ready and measured before you get started.
Divide egg yolks and whites: You’ll need five egg yolks and only four whites, so use another small bowl for the extra egg white. This is best done by working with one egg at a time over two small bowls. Crack the egg, let the white drip into one bowl, then put the yolk in a separate bowl. Repeat with four eggs. On the fifth egg, discard the egg white and add the fifth egg yolk to the bowl of yolks.
For the Crust:
Bake your pie shell and allow it to cool before making the filling and meringue. Tip: Use pie weights to prevent the crust from shrinking while baking.
For the Filling:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350°F.
Bring the coconut milk, milk, shredded coconut, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar dissolves.
Whisk yolks, cornstarch, and one tablespoon of sugar in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Add one cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolk mixture and whisk well to combine. Slowly add the warm egg yolk mixture into the milk mixture and whisk continually until combined. Cook until the custard has thickened and the mixture reaches a boil, about 1 minute.
Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and coconut extract. Mix until combined.
For the Meringue:
Mix together the cream of tartar and sugar, and set aside.
Add one tablespoon of cornstarch and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan. Whisk the mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the cornstarch mixture thickens and is translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and transfer it to a small bowl to prevent it from further cooking.
If using an electric mixer, fit it with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites and vanilla at medium-low speed until frothy. Turn the speed up to medium-high and add the cream of tartar mixture one tablespoon at a time. Beat until incorporated and the mixture forms mounds, about 3-5 minutes.
Continue to whip on high speed and add the cooked cornstarch mixture, about a tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat until stiff, glossy stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Assemble:
If the filling has cooled while making the meringue, place the filling on the burner at medium-low heat to warm.
Pour warm filling into the cooled pre-baked pie crust.
Next, quickly spread the fluffy meringue in small mounds around the edge of the pie filling and then the middle. Then, use a rubber spatula to spread the meringue over the pie. Decorate the meringue by using the back of a spoon to create attractive swirls and peaks.
Bake the pie for 20 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool for two hours.