Coconut Cream Pie with Crumb Crust

Crust:
Mix together flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and powdered sugar. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and the cup of cold butter; using a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles crumbs. Spray pie plate with cooking spray and then press crumbs into bottom and up the sides. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Pie Filling:
In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium high heat until it begins to bubble (stir continually so it doesn’t burn!). Cook and stir for 2 minutes and then remove from heat. Stir a moderate amount of hot mixture into yolks to temper them. Then immediately whisk the yolks into the hot mixture; cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, coconut extract, and 1/2 cup of flaked coconut. Pour into baked and cooled pie crust. Spread meringue (see below) on top of pie, sealing it to the edge of the pastry, and sprinkle with remaining flaked coconut. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. Cool.

Meringue:
Beat egg whites with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and cream of tartar till soft peaks form. Gradually add 6 tablespoons of sugar, beating until stiff and glossy peaks form and all sugar has dissolved.