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As quickly as time flies, Easter will be here before we know it and it's not too early to begin menu planning, starting with dessert. When it comes to Easter desserts, anything goes, from fancy 3-tiered cakes, cheesecakes, trifles and pies (my personal favorite.)
One of those favorite pies is the traditional Coconut Cream, a dreamy slow-stirred coconut egg custard topped with mounds of dreamy meringue. This pie is so delicious it makes the time it takes to make it worth every minute. But if time or skill are a factor, I have several other suggestions.
Sometimes after a big meal a super-sweet dessert is just too much. Lemon Walnut Ricotta Pie is just the right amount of sweet and citrus and easy to make. Or, with a bag of frozen strawberries, a frozen crust and some whipped heavy cream it's easy to make a beautiful Strawberry Cream Pie.
Lemon Walnut
Ricotta Pie
Unbaked 9-inch pie crust
2 cups ricotta cheese, drained
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Directions: Preheat oven to 450-degrees F. Line pie pan with crust. Trim and crimp edges.
Mix together the ricotta, sugar, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon extract and walnuts. Turn filling into the crust.
Place pie in center of oven and immediately reduce heat to 400-degrees F and bake 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Coconut Meringue Pie
1 (9-inch) pie crust, baked
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups milk
3 eggs, separated (use yolks for filling, whites for meringue)
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp. vanilla
6 T. sugar
1/4 cup flaked coconut
Directions: Prepare filling: Stir together 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch and salt in top of double boiler. Gradually add milk, stirring well. Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly, till mixture is thick enough to mound when dropped from a spoon. Cover and cook 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Beat egg yolks slightly with a fork. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into the yolks, blending well. Immediately stir yolk mixture back into remaining hot mixture and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and gently stir in 3/4 cup coconut and vanilla. Pour into baked pie shell.
Prepare meringue: With electric mixer on high beat egg whites in bowl till foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating till stiff, glossy peaks form when beaters are lifted.
Spoon some of the meringue around the edge of filling. Spread so it touches inner edge of crust all around, using back of spoon. Heap remaining meringue in center. Push out gently to meet meringue border. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup coconut.
Bake in 425-degree F oven 5 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned. Cool on rack. Store cooled pie in refrigerator. Serves 6 to 8.
Strawberry Cream Pie
1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked
1 (10-ounce) bag frozen whole strawberries, thawed
Water
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 T. cornstarch
4 drops red food coloring
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Directions: Drain strawberries, reserving juice. Add enough water to juice to make 1 cup.
In 2-quart saucepan combine the 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in reserved juice and food coloring. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till mixture comes to a boil. Cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
Stir in drained strawberries. Chill in refrigerator until mixture begins to thicken.
Whip the heavy cream, 1 tsp. sugar and vanilla in bowl until soft peaks form, using an electric mixture at high speed. Spread whipped cream into bottom and up sides of baked pie shell. Pour chilled strawberry mixture into center.
Refrigerate another 2 to 3 hours, or till set before serving.