Coconut Cream Pie

Crust
1 (10-inch) Pie crust or one-half (15 ounces) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)

Filling:
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup 2-percent reduced fat milk
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Meringue:
3 large egg whites
2 /3 cup sugar
1 /4 cup water
1 tablespoon flaked, sweetened coconut, toasted

Directions:
Prepare and bake Pie crust in a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare filling: Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, one-half cup sugar, salt and eggs in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Heat milk and coconut milk over medium-high heat in a small, heavy saucepan to 180-degrees or until tiny bubbles form around the edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Place mixture in pan; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about ten minutes), stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Spoon custard into a bowl; place bowl in a large ice-filled bowl for ten minutes or until custard comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from ice. Stir in extracts; spoon mixture into prepared crust. Cover and chill eight hours or until firm.

Preheat broiler.

To prepare meringue, place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Combine 2 /3 cup sugar and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 238-degrees. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at a high speed until stiff peaks form.

Spread meringue over chilled pie and sprinkle with coconut. Broil for one minute or until meringue is lightly browned; cook five minutes on a wire rack. Serve immediately.

Recipe makes ten servings.

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 281
Fat: 9.3
Protein: 5.3g
Carbohydrates: 45.6g
Fiber: 0.6g
Cholesterol: 63mg
Sodium: 208mg