Ashton’s Coconut Meringue Pie Mousse

by admin on November 13, 2011

Ashton is a stay-at-home mommy, baker and blogger living in the southern Virginia area after having being raised in North Carolina and having spent several years in Utah.  She is a vibrant and fun young lady (you can tell from the way she writes her posts) and has a wonderful sense of humour.  She is also a fantastic baker and is currently putting the finishing touches on the *Ordering* page of her blog, Something Swanky.  Ashton is always happy to share her love of desserts through this delightful blog and her Recipe page makes iteasy for her readers to track down all of the delicious treats that she has prepared.  The choices are plentiful, be it a beautiful cupcake, an irresistible candy or a creative cake, Ashton is very dedicated to ensuring the yearnings of everyone’s sweet tooth are not overlooked.  I am very happy that she is here today sharing her story and recipe with us.  You can follow Ashton on Twitter @somethingswanky

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I love this blog! And I’m so thrilled to be able to participate, along with so many other dessert bloggers, in an effort to raise awareness for cancers that specifically affect women.

In preparation for this post, I hosted a small girls night tonight.
And we made sweets that I will be taking to a Women’s Hospice tomorrow.

And I fully intended to blog about Chocolate Covered Caramel Pretzel Rods.

And then I started doing a little research about my Grandmother’s life and what it was like just before she died of Breast Cancer.

I found a short passage written by my Grandpa about her, and I just love it.

It goes like this:

“When you’re young and in love, it doesn’t take too many physical comforts to be happy. We were young and happy, and Doris cooked some great meals for us. She also baked a beautiful, fresh coconut meringue pie, and while walking to the table, dropped it upside down on the floor. She cried a good portion of the night, and 27 years have passed, and she still hasn’t baked me another coconut pie…” (41)
On May 15, 1978, Grandmother called Grandpa on his business trip and told him that what she thought had been mastitis was actually erysipelas and had been prescribed Penicillin and lots of rest. On June 27, she was informed that she had an aggressive case of breast cancer and treatments began a few days later.
On October 18th, Doris was declared cancer free. But after many months of painful irritation left on her skin from her radiation treatments, and a lot of time sick in bed, she found more lumps. Biopsies revealed active cancer cells. Chemotherapy, and all that it entails, began.
The treatments were hard and it wasn’t too many more months before her body couldn’t handle any more. She died on August 1, 1980 with her husband of 31 years by her side.
Her family of four children now includes four spouses, 20 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren in addition to my Grandpa’s second wife and their two children. She left us a loving family. Even those of us who never knew Grandma, grew up with her name in our homes, always spoken in happy reverence.
No doubt about: cancer has definitely touched our lives.
But my Grandmother has left a stronger impression in our hearts.
I’m so grateful for this opportunity to honor my Grandmother by doing something I love:
baking dessert and blogging about it.
In remembrance of Doris’ failed Coconut Meringue Pie, and instead of Chocolate Covered Caramel Pretzel Rods, I made my own version of Coconut Meringue Pie.
And also failed.
{not even on purpose!}
Today, I have for you, a Coconut Meringue Mousse.
It’s so delicious. I promise you.
Don’t you dare write it off because it can’t hold the shape of a pie slice!

Quick explanation: I don’t “do” real meringue– yuck. I stick with marshmallow meringue, and most of the time it works like a charm! Also, I chose to make a chocolate “crust” instead of something more traditional.

Coconut Meringue Pie Mousse

Ingredients:

  • 2 small packages of vanilla instant pudding mix
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 3/4 cup shredded coconut
  • 8 oz. cool whip
  • 6 full sheets of chocolate graham crackers (honey grahams are ok too), crushed
  • 3 tbsp. butter, melted
  • another 8 oz. container cool whip
  • 1 small jar marshmallow fluff
  • toasted coconut to garnish (optional)

Directions:

  1. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and the butter. Press into a pie dish or a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Whisk together the pudding mixes and milk. Add to that the shredded coconut. And then the 8 oz. cool whip. When thoroughly incorporated, pour about 3/4 of the mixture over the graham cracker “crust.”
  3. Go ahead and put the rest of the pudding mixture into the fridge to snack on later when you think no one is looking.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the marshmallow fluff and the 8 oz. cool whip. Spread over the pudding mixture.
  5. Garnish with toasted coconut. Serve with a spoon in sundae glasses and enjoy!!

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Emily ~So Domesticated~ November 14, 2011 at 00:57

A lovely post and pie, in honor of your grandmother!

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Sue November 16, 2011 at 20:54

The pie looks amazing! What a sweet, fitting tribute to your grandmother!

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