Cream Pie Filling

This recipe is from my Aunt Edna's co-worker. Her co-worker told my aunt that her mother used to make it.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 pie

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3  cups milk
• 4  slightly beaten  egg yolks
• 3  tablespoons butter
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
2. Stir small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return this to the hot mixture and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla; cool to room temperature.
3. Pour into baked pastry shell.
4. (To prevent a crust from forming on top, put plastic wrap or wax paper directly on top, touching the surface of the pudding.).
5. For Chocolate Cream: Increase sugar to 1 cup. Chop 3 one ounce squares of baking chocolate; add with the milk.
6. For Coconut Cream: Add 1 cup coconut to the Vanilla Cream Pie Filling. Top pie filling with Cool Whip. Sprinkle 1/3 cup toasted coconut over the Cool Whip.
7. For Butterscotch: Substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar in recipe for Vanilla Cream. Increase butter to 4 tablespoons.