Grandma Toronto's Coconut Cream Pie

Every year on my youngest brother's birthday he ask my mom to make Grandma T's Coconut Cream Pie.  The recipe has gone on vacation, been relocated, filed in an unknown spot for the past two years.    My mom loves to plan elaborate meals for his birthday, after all he is her baby and a bachelor, but most of all she loves him dearly.  Anyway to help out I have attempted to make a pie to replicate grandma's.  2 years ago I made an ok pie, but not very memorable.  This year I thought I nailed it!  My husband whose favorite pie is also coconut cream pie loved it!  But alas, my younger brother enjoyed it but I think he would prefer being the official recipe.  It dawned on me this year that, oh yeah my Aunt Maria just may have this recipe and have it documented somewhere, she's the historian of the family.  So I now have the recipe and I will place it here so mine doesn't go on vacation either.  With no further delays here it is.... along with a few other favorites...

Grandma T.'s Coconut Pie

RECIPES - Coconut Cream Pie Filling

Coconut Cream Pie - Grandma Ila's Recipe (Found in Christensen Family Recipe Collection -- Happiness Is Homemade!)

6 tablespoons flour	Combine in double boiler. (I think the whole recipe can be done in a regular saucepan -- watching and stirring so it doesn't get scorched.)
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk	Add to pan and stir until smooth. Cook over boiling water 5 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 10 min. longer.  Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 tsp.  vanilla and 1 T.  butter.
2 egg yolks
1 cup cocoanut (spelling in recipe)
2 egg whites	Beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff. Fold egg whites into cocoanut cream mixture.  Cool. Turn into pie shell.
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup coconut, toasted	Sprinkle with toasted cocoanut. Serve with whipped cream.

This was Uncle Chris' favorite Home Night refreshment.

Coconut Cream Pie From Betty Crocker (1991 edition - heritage recipe) this is the one I tried this year and loved it!

9 -inch Baked Pie Shell
2/3 cup sugar	2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup cornstarch	2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt	3/4 cup flaked coconut
3 cups milk	1 cup sweetened whipped cream
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten	1/4 cup flaked coconut
Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks. Stir this mixture back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in margarine/butter, vanilla and 3/4 cup coconut. Pour into pie shell. Press plastic wrap onto filling. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until set.
Remove plastic wrap. Top pie with whipped cream and 1/4 cup coconut. Immediately refrigerate any remaining pie.
Sweetened Whipped Cream:  For 1 cup whipped cream: Beat 1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream and 1 tablespoon granulated or powered sugar in chilled bowl until stiff.

Cream Pie Filling via Joan Taylor

2/3 to 3/4 cup sugar	3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup flour	1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt	2 tablespoons butter
2 cups milk	1 cup cool whip
	Cool  whip for top
In saucepan combine sugar, flour, salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture boils and thickens. Cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir small amount of hot mixture into yolks. Return egg mixture to the hot mixture and stir. Cook 2 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla. Cool to room temperature. Add 1 cup cool whip and coconut or bananas or pineapple.  Pour into a baked pie crust and chill for several  hours. Top with cool whip. This filling cream pie filling can also be used for cream puffs.