poppop's impossibly simple coconut pie

     My Poppop has always been a culinary inspiration for me. I owe many of my kitchen skills and knowledge to him. A while back when I was still in college and living in my first apartment he gave me this recipe. I made it a handful of times, loving how delicious and easy it was. Then it got tucked into a cookbook and over the years I just forgot it even existed.

     Recently, I was going through my collection of cookbooks and came across the recipe. I immediately lit up and knew I had to make it ASAP! I told my Poppop I found it and planned on making it soon. And that's when I found out a little more about how he came to acquire the recipe some time ago.

     I give my Poppop credit for this recipe, however he gives credit to his grandmother! While his grandparents were alive, they owned a bakery in upstate NY. It was one of those classic scenarios where the shop owner and their family lived right upstairs. Though his grandfather was the baker, his grandmother is the one who had the recipe. This pie was sold in their shop!

     It is so ridiculously easy to make, even the most inexperienced of bakers could do it and succeed. It pairs well with many things - pureed strawberries (as seen in my photos), chocolate sauce, chunks of mango and pineapple - but it's also awesome on it's own!

Poppop's Impossibly Simple Coconut Pie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Servings: yields 2 9" pies


You Will Need:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup self rising flour
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 TBS salted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray two 9" pie plates with nonstick coating, or lightly grease with oil/butter.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until well incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, combine self rising flour and sugar and mix well. Add dry ingredient mixture to the bowl of eggs and whisk to combine.
4. Add milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the mixture and again whisk to combine thoroughly.
5. Add coconut and stir to combine.
6. Pour mixture evenly into pie plates and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the middle is set and only slightly shakes in the middle.
7. Let cool completely before cutting (I know it's tempting -but you don't want it to fall apart!) to allow it to rest and level out. 

What recipes have been carried down throughout the generations of your family?