2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk ( 2% is ok)
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
2 egg YOLKS (just the yolks)
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a heavy saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt , coconut and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture gets THICK and bubbly. Turn heat down a little (to medium simmer) and cook (and stir) for 2 minutes. In the meantime, put the 2 egg yolks (yolks only) in a small bowl and set aside.
Remove pan from heat (but leave the burner on) and temper the egg yolks. To do this, slowly dribble about a cup of the hot mixture (while you whisk like crazy) into 2 beaten egg yolks. Once you've whisked in about a cup of the hot mixture, put it all back into the saucepan, stir well and put back on the heat and cook for one more minute.
Remove from heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and stir well.
Pour into dessert dishes (or serve family style in a larger dessert bowl). Chill for a couple of hours, (I like to eat it warm). Either way, top it with sweetened whipped cream and toasted coconut.
NOTE: Toast the coconut in a dry saute pan, over medium heat until it is golden brown (when it cools it will be a little crunchy and almost taste like coconut candy). Watch it very carefully, the coconut burns easily!!
NOTE: This recipe doubles well.
