Best Ever Coconut Cream Pie

MERINGUE:

1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
4 egg whites
1/8 tsp salt

*Heat oven to 350*
*In a 1-quart saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch.
*Stir in water.
*Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and then boils.
*Boil 1 minute. Cool completely while making filling for pie. (To cool quickest, put in freezer for a few minutes)
*In a large bowl, beat egg whites and salt on highest speed til soft peaks befin to form. Gradually add in sugar mixture until stiff peaks form.
*Spoon meringue onto hot pie filling. Spread over filling, sealing meringue to edge of crust.
*Bake 15 minutes or til meringue is lightly browned.

PIE:

Shortbread pie crust
4 egg yolks from large eggs (save whites for meringue)
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups milk
2 Tbsp butter/margarine, softened
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flaked coconut (I use the sweetened)

*In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with a fork; set aside.
*In a 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt.
*Gradually stir in milk.
*Cook over medium heat. stirring CONSTANTLY (this sticks VERY easy), until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
*Take 1 cup of sugar mixture and add to egg yolks....mix well.
*DO NOT ADD EGGS DIRECTLY TO PAN AS THEY WILL SCRAMBLE!!!!!
*Add egg mixture back to man and stir well.
*Boil mixture for 1 minute; remove from heat.
*Stir in butter, vanilla and coconut; cool filling slightly.
*Pour into pie crust and put in warm oven to keep filling warm.

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