All things sweet

The manuscript I am writing features a baker. As I tap away at the keyboard, my mind dances around all the delicious recipes collected over the years by my family and my husband's.

Last week, I shared my grandmother Inez's Lemon Icebox Recipe. This week, is another recipe for those that love sweet, gooey pies. A coconut pie, the photo above is from my mother Betty's kitchen. It's of her amazing coconut pie.

She loves to bake for friends and family and we all happily accept her delicious acts of love, and turn a blind eye to the calorie content within, at least for the day.

"We who had sweet fellowship together Walked in the house of God in the throng." 
-Psalm 55:14


A little history on this recipe, it's from my grandmother's neighbor, she was a legendary pie baker and gifted this recipe to her.  I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. 

Betty's Best Coconut Pie

Ingredients:

1 deep-dish unbaked pie shell (Homemade or store-bought)

1 can Angel Flake coconut

1 1/2 c sugar

4 heaping tablespoons flour

4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)

1 3/4 c of whole milk

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour most of the can of coconut into the unbaked pie shell, retaining a small portion to sprinkle over the meringue. Mix the sugar with the flour and slowly add the milk and egg yolks. Mix thoroughly and add the melted butter and the vanilla. Pour over the coconut in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Meringue:

Allow the four egg whites to reach room temperature (my Mother adds in two extra egg whites for her mile-high meringue). Add a dash of salt and beat at high speed until the whites get stiff. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of sugar for each egg white and mix until mixture forms stiff peaks. Cover the top of the custard, sprinkle with coconut and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned. Enjoy. 

What are some of your favorite sweet things to bake?