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Beat in the confectioners’ sugar at high speed in a slow, thin stream, then continue beating until the cream makes soft, rounded, smooth waves on a rubber spatula. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the ground candy at medium speed just until combined, about 10 seconds.

Gently peel the plastic wrap off the pie’s filling, then spoon the flavored whipping cream over the filling, sealing it to the crust’s edge and making little waves and hillocks with a rubber spatula or flatware tablespoon.

Butterscotch Chocolate Pie: Stirring constantly, melt 1 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate in the top half of a double boiler set over a little simmering water over medium heat, or melt it in a bowl in the microwave on high in 15-second increments, stirring after each. Cool for 10 minutes, then paint this melted chocolate over the cooled, prebaked pie crust. Set aside to harden for 30 minutes before adding the filling.

Butterscotch Meringue Pie: Skip steps 6 to 10, thereby omitting the 1½ cups cream, confectioners’ sugar, and candy. Work with the pie while the filling is still warm. Follow the same procedure for placing the meringue over the Chocolate Meringue Pie.

Coconut Cream Pie

To keep this pie from becoming cloyingly sweet, use unsweetened coconut. Makes one 9-inch pie

3 large egg yolks, at room temperature

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1¼ cups shredded (or “desiccated”) unsweetened coconut

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 recipe Short Crust or Butter Crust, lined into a 9-inch pie plate and prebaked (for instructions on prebaking,)

1½ cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

¼ cup shredded sweetened coconut

Whisk the egg yolks and salt in a large bowl until smooth; set aside.

Place the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the granulated sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until thickened and just beginning to bubble, about 4 minutes.

Whisk about half this milk mixture into the beaten egg yolks, then whisk the combined mixture back into the remaining milk mixture in the pan.

Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture can coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean, large bowl.

Stir in the unsweetened coconut and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into the prebaked pie crust. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap over the filling and press down gently. Refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours or overnight.

Just before serving, place a large, clean bowl and the electric mixer’s beaters or whisk attachment in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the freezer and pour in the cream. Beat with the electric mixer at high speed until frothy, about 20 seconds.

Beating at high speed, add the confectioners’ sugar in 1-tablespoon increments. Continue beating at high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until the mixture forms soft, wavy, smooth peaks on the spatula. Beat in the shredded sweetened coconut and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Gently peel the plastic wrap off the pie filling. Spoon the sweetened whipped cream over the pie, using the back of a flatware spoon or a rubber spatula to make little hillocks and waves in the cream.

Coconut Ginger Pie: Add 1 teaspoon ground ginger with the cornstarch. If desired, sprinkle 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger over the whipped cream topping before serving.

Tropical Coconut Pie: Line the unbaked pie shell with 1 ripe banana, thinly sliced, before adding the filling. Stir 1 teaspoon grated lime zest into the filling with the unsweetened coconut. Substitute rum extract for the vanilla extract in the whipped cream topping.

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Meringues

Egg whites will not rise when beaten in the presence of moisture (water condensation, for example, from an improperly dried bowl) or fat (even a speck of egg yolk). Either will cause the lattice of protein