Basic Cream Pie

You can use this recipe for any type of cream pie.  I use it for chocolate, coconut or add bananas.

Cream Pie

1 baked pie shell
3/4 cup sugar

3 T cornstarch

3 eggs, separated
dash of salt
2 cups milk (I sometimes use 1 milk and 1 half and half)
2 T butter
1 t. vanilla

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt (and cocoa if this is a chocolate pie) in medium saucepan and gradually stir in milk.  Cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken and bubble.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir a small amount of the the milk mixture into the beaten egg yolks.  Then return to saucepan and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.  Pour cooled mixture into prebaked pie shell and top with meringue and bake.
For chocolate, increase sugar to 1 cup and add 1-2 T (I use 1 1/2) depending on taste. For coconut, add 1 cup of coconut to cooked custard.
To make meringue, beat egg whites with 1/4 cup sugar until peaks form.  Top pie with meringue and bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes.