Coconut Meringue Cream Pie

A blender does all the hard work for you, and you get the compliments.

Crumb crust
3 1/2 oz. moist coconut
1 cup hot milk
2 envelopes plain gelatin
3 tablespoons light rum
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 heaping cup cracked ice
1 cup heavy cream
Milk or half-and-half
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Oven: 425 degrees

Make crust and set aside. Put coconut and hot milk in blender and blend high 30 seconds. Strain through a sieve, reserving coconut. Pour liquid back in blender. Add gelatin, blend high 40 seconds, then stop.

Add rum, 1/3-cup sugar, and egg yolks to the mixture. Blend high 5 seconds. With the cover off and blades spinning, carefully add cracked ice, then slowly pour in cream. Add enough milk to bring mixture to container top.

Pour mixture into prepared crust. Beat egg whites until stiff. Beat in remaining half-cup of sugar. Fold in reserved coconut, and spread over pie. Bake in oven five minutes, or until meringue is browned but not burned. Remove from oven, cool, and chill until ready to serve.

Crumb Crust

16 graham squares, crumbed
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter

Pour crumbs into a bowl. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix until crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs firmly into the bottom and sides of a buttered 8-inch pie plate.

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