sweet potato coconut pie with marshmallow meringue

Over the holidays, I did what I always do - I got out all of my favorite holiday cookbooks and magazines to get ideas for what recipes to try.  This year, we went to visit my sister, so I got busy looking through all of her holiday cookbooks and magazines.  There was one recipe in particular that caught my eye.


My dear husband just loves anything sweet potato.  He would much rather have sweet potato pie than pumpkin (although if you ask me, they taste pretty much the same).  I've never made him a sweet potato pie because they just don't appeal to me all that much...until I saw this recipe, that is.

What won me over were the words marshmallow meringue.  I love marshmallows!  I really love marshmallow creme.  And I love the concept of adding it to meringue.

This pie surpassed my expectations.  I'll be adding marshmallow meringue to all of my pie recipes from here on out.  Way to go Taste of Home - another win for you!

Sweet Potato Coconut Pie with Marshmallow Meringue
Taste of Home Holiday Baking

Crust: 

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 6 T. cold butter
• 2 T. shortening
• 3-4 T. cold water

Filling:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cream cheese,s oftened
• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 t. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. cinnamon

Meringue:

• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 t. cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 7 oz. marshmallow cream
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut

In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and ginger; cover and pulse to blend.  Add the butter and shortening; cover and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  While processing, gradually add water just until moist crumbs form.  Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

Roll out pastry to fit a 9-in deep dish pie plate.  Transfer pastry to pie plate.  Trim pastry to ½ in beyond edge of plate; flute edges or decorate with pastry cutouts as desired.  Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.  Fill with dried beans, uncooked rice, or pie weights.  Bake at 425 for 8 minutes.  Remove foil and weights; bake 5 minutes longer.  Cool on wire rack.  Reduce heat to 325.

For the filling, in a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, brown sugar, and cream cheese.  Cook and stir until smooth.  Transfer to a large bowl; cool 5 minutes.  Whisk in the sweet potatoes, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.  Pour into crust.

Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary.

For meringue, in a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in sugar, 1 T. at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

Place the marshmallow crème in a separate large bowl; fold in a third of the egg white mixture, then fold in the remaining mixture.  Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edges to crust.  Sprinkle with marshmallows and coconut.

Bake 12-15 minutes longer or until top is golden.  Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.