Coconut Cream Pie Muffins Great Labor Day Dessert

Hello to all my foodie friends out there in Web Land its MadJon again posting on some very tasty dessert.  I got the idea to make these from a group on face book that I belong too called Outrageous Foodies and I just love the group.  I saw a birds nest dish from grated potatoes and to me it reminded me of shredded coconut.  So I went to the taste kitchen and made up this recipe.  You know that coconut came to this country in the late 1800's and a man named Franklin Baker from Pa started shredding and producing the coconut here in the United States for our household use.  Am so glad that he did because coconut is one of my favorite flavors to eat.  They have it in candy, puddings, fresh coconut Milk, coconut oil, cakes, cookies, and even drinks.  I love it in anything!  When we were kids in Miami we'd sit under the palms and the nut would drop and we'd remove the outer shell and place 3 holes on the end of the coconut and drink the milk.  Then we'd get out hammers and break the nut and eat out the meat.  It was great to just go along the sidewalks and pick up the coconuts to eat.  It took us awhile to open them but we used whatever means we needed to get into that juicy white meat. Their were six kids in my family and my Uncle Jack had 16 kids so it was hard to keep a coconut free on our streets.  Any who I hope you give a try.

Shell

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin pan.

Mix together:

2 cups shredded Coconut
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBSP Corn Starch
2 TBSP melted Butter

Shape into the muffin pans to make a nest and then bake in the oven for about 10 minutes and remove from oven.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Corn Starch
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 Egg Yolks, beaten, reserve egg whites
pinch of Salt
4 Cups Whole Milk
1 cup Shredded Coconut

Mix together and pour into muffin pan.  Cook for about 40 minutes or until done.

Topping
Beat the egg whites with 3 TBSP sugar, add  tsp. Vanilla, and a pinch of Cream Of Tarter.  Beat eggs till they are stiff and top the pies with it and sprinkle coconut on top and bake in a pre-heated oven until brown.  Rest for about 10 minutes and loosen the sides with a butter knife to remove.

I hope you enjoy these pie muffins and when they cool is the best time to eat them.  Please visit my Cooking With MadJon and Friends on face book and I also have a new cookbook out on itunes called MadJon Holidays for you ipads.  Write me with your comments at madjon51@aol.com.  Happy Labor day weekend and happy trails to you until we meet again.  MadJon.