COMMENTS: Use your favorite pastry recipe or use a store bought crust. Preheat oven to 450°. Prick bottom and sides of crust and bake 10-12 minutes. Crust should be golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

FILLING:

3/4	cup	Granulated sugar
3	Tbsp.	Cornstarch
	dash	Salt
2	cups	Milk
3		Egg yolks
3/4	tsp.	Vanilla extract
1/4	tsp.	Almond extract

TOPPING:

1	cup	Heavy cream, well chilled
2	Tbsp.	Confectioners' sugar
2	cans (3 1/2 oz. size)	Flaked coconut or 2 cups grated fresh coconut

• In heavy saucepan, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Over medium heat, bring to boiling; stir occasionally; boil 1 minute, or until thick and shiny.
• Quickly stir some of hot mixture into egg yolks. Pour back into hot mixture; stir to blend. Return to heat; cook over low heat 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in extracts.
• Turn into a small bowl, and cover surface with waxed paper. Refrigerate until well chilled (at least 1 hour).
• Have cream, bowl and beaters chilled before beating; Beat the cream with confectioners' sugar until stiff. Refrigerate cream, covered.

• To assemble pie; Turn filling into pie shell. Sprinkle with half the coconut. Cover with the whipped cream mixture then top with remaining coconut. Serve at once or refrigerate no longer than 1 hour.
• SERVES 8.

  VARIATION: For Banana Coconut Pie, add two sliced bananas; arrange in pie shell to cover bottom. Proceed to assemble as above.