Fresh Coconut Cream Pie

This recipe was given to me by a relative. She reports that she found it in a McCalls Cookbook leaflet in the '60s. Made with fresh coconut, grated, it is the best I've ever eaten.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 1 pie

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch)  pie shells, baked and cooled
• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup cornstarch
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3  cups milk, hot
• 3  egg yolks, beaten
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  cups coconut, fresh and grated*
• 1  cup  whipping cream

Directions

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt; gradually add to milk, stirring until smooth.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir 1/2 of hot mixture into egg yolks, then combine with rest of the mixture in saucepan.
4. Cook, stirring over low heat until boiling and thick enough to mound from spoon – about 5 minutes.
5. Turn into bowl; stir in extracts and half of coconut.
6. Place waxed paper directly on filling; refrigerate 1 hour.
7. Turn into pie shell; refrigerate 3 hours.
8. To serve: Whip cream, and spread over filling; top with remaining coconut.
9. *2 cans flaked coconut can be used in place of grated fresh coconut.