Basic Cream Pie (banana & coconut)

 from  The Lion House Cookbook

Ingredients:

5 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup half-and-half cream

3 egg yolks

2 Tablespoons butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup whipping cream

baked 9 inch pie shell

Directions:

Mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a 3-quart saucepan.  Add milk and cream and cook over medium heat until smooth and thick, stirring constantly (if you don't stir it will be grainy).  Pour a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks;  blend thoroughly, then pour back into saucepan.  Cook another 2 or 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.

COCONUT CREAM:  Add 1/2 cup toasted to pie filling.  Pour into baked shell.  Chill 3 to 4 hours.  When ready to serve, whip the cream and spread over pie.  Top with another 1/2 cup coconut.

BANANA CREAM:  Slice 2 bananas into pie shell.  Pour the filling over the bananas.  Chill 3 to 4 hours.  When ready to serve, whip cream and spread over pie.  

Chocolate Cream:  Decrease sugar in pie filling to 3/4  cup.  Add 1/2 cup chocolate syrup to cooked mixture.  (or use the full cup of sugar and 1/2 cup melted chocolate chips.)  Pour into pie shell.  Chill 3 to 4 hours.  when ready to serve, whip cream and spread over pie.  Makes 6 servings.