Coconut Cream Pie

4-1/2 cups milk
2 cups sugar
heaping 1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
4 egg yolks
2 TBS butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup coconut
*toasted coconut

1. In a heavy saucepan, add sugar, cornstarch, salt, milk, egg yolks, and butter. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat until it comes to a slow boil. When the boiling starts the mixture should thicken. Cook and stir for 2 minutes while boiling then remove from heat.

2. Add vanilla and stir to incorporate. Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate to cool. Stir it every hour or so, while cooling.

3. When cooled, stir in 1 cup coconut until well mixed. Spread in 2, prebaked 9 or 10 inch pie crusts. (This time I used baked graham cracker crust (recipe below) or you can use a regular pie crust.Top with whipped cream or cool whip, and toasted coconut.*  I topped this with stable whipped cream.

*To toast coconut put in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 325℉ for about 8 minutes stirring often. Watch closely so it doesn't burn.

Baked graham cracker crust:

1-1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (about 12-13 graham crackers processed until fine)
1/4 cup sugar
6 TBS butter, melted

1.  Mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar together.  Stir in melted butter until well combined.  Place in a 9 or 10 inch pie pan.  Bake at 350℉ for 8 minutes.  Let cool completely before filling with pie filling.