Coconut Custard Pie - Contest Winning Pie Recipe

A couple of months ago at work we had a pie contest. We were asked to make some kind of pie, whether it was a fruit pie, pizza pie, shepherd's pie, pot pie, or just a chocolate pie it was eligible for this contest.. As I scavenged my recipes and recipe books for the perfect pie recipe, I found this recipe for a coconut custard pie and made a few changes to it to make it my own and I decided that I thought that I would like it and so I made it and decided that it had to be the one that I entered into the contest.

As the day for the contest arrived, I realized that we were having a safety coordinator come into the store and judge the contest. This might not be the pie that I should have made as many people don't like coconut and that could effect the way that this pie was judged. It was too late then to change the pie so I just thought that I would have to accept the consequences.

The judging began and there were several pies to choose from and a good variety of pies too. Someone had made a homemade pizza pie, there was a fruit pizza pie, lemon meringue pie, apple pie, even a chicken pot pie. As I tried each piece, I was sure that someone else would win this competition. The apple pie was fabulous and was the winner by far. As the judge made his decision, he knew that there was not a way that he could pick the perfect pie. His decision was that there had to be winners chosen. There was a winner chosen for the pies that were not a dessert and then he chose two winners of dessert pies, the apple pie and my coconut custard pie. The apple pie was an American traditional winner, but my pie was a newer type of pie and one that most people don't eat every day.

The custard filling is what makes this coconut pie so perfect. It is a sweet pie, but the flavors blend together so well. With only 7 ingredients, it is fairly easy to have the items on hand and it is easy to make so even the busiest woman or man can make it.

Coconut Custard Pie

1/4 cup butter,softened
11/4 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coconut
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups of half and half ( I personally don't recommend using milk for this)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In large bowl, cream sugar and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy.Add eggs gradually and one at a time and mix well. Add vanilla and salt, blend well. Slowly add half and half while stirring and blend well. Add coconut and stir again. Scrape mixture into pie shell and bake about 30 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Let pie cool completely, then chill until ready to serve.

Any occasion that you serve this at, it is sure to get rave reviews. It is my favorite pies and one of the most asked for at work and at home now.