Last Updated on March 20, 2024 by Share My Kitchen
A lot of people have enjoyed a stop at the Blue Bonnet Café, located at Marble Falls, Texas on US Hwy 281. It is a famous old Texas diner that offers a “pie happy hour” every weekday afternoon. This coconut meringue pie recipe is almost good enough to take you there if you cannot make it. It is best served cold.
Coconut Meringue Pie Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 baked, cooled 9-inch pie shell
- ¼ cup toasted coconut
Meringue
- 4 egg whites, at room temperature
- ½ cup of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Coconut Meringue Pie Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Mix the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat to make the filling. Stir constantly until the mixture boils and thickens, then cook for 2 more minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, and place aside.
- Next, beat the yolks in a separate bowl. Slowly add 1 cup of the hot milk into the yolks while whisking vigorously. Stir the warmed yolks into the milk mixture, then bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the warm yolks. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until butter is melted. Then, blend in the coconut well.
- Next, pour in a cooled, baked 9-inch pie crust, then top with meringue, sealing the edges of pastry. Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes, or until it browns nicely.
- Sprinkle it with a bit of toasted coconut.
- Let it cool completely before serving.
For the Meringue
Use an electric mixer, set on high speed, to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, until they become foamy. Gradually, add 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time, until stiff peaks form and the sugar dissolves. This takes approximately 2 to 4 minutes. Then, add in the vanilla, and beat just to blend.
Place the pie on top, and bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
NOTE: When spreading the meringue on the pie, make sure you seal it to the pastry edge. Spread the meringue on the pie filling while the filling is hot to minimize “weeping.” Also, remember that the coconut meringue pie is easier to cut with a wet knife.