I am flattered to have been asked to make 4 coconut cream pies for an upcoming dinner. I make really good pies for my family but I am intimidated by this. How early can I make them? I always put meringue on top as 3 yolks go into the pie and I have 3 whites to deal with. I know if I put the pies in the fridge, the meringue will weep. Have you discovered a method to avoid this? I'm thinking that a blob of whipped cream on top of each slice might be the way to go, maybe with a sprinkle of toasted coconut. Any thought? The person that asked me prefers meringue. This is a very special dinner for people I'm very fond of and I would like to do this for them.

I've been making delicious pies for 40 years but every time a pie is served I breathe a sigh of relief that it is set, not runny, etc. Why is that?

Thanks, ladies.

why not make and bake the meringues totally separately and put them on top of the pies just before serving?  You can trace the size of the tops of your pie pans onto waxed paper and put the waxed paper on 2 large cookie sheets (ideally, that would allow you to make 4 meringue tops - 2 per cookie sheet).  They would fit the pies perfectly and you can add them a half hour or so before serving but you could bake them 2 or 3 days ahead of time, if you wanted to.  Might work...

You're right! It just might work. I will make a prototype tomorrow. Good idea. Thank you.

could add the meringue to the pies when they are at their final destination. 

I don't think I would ever serve raw eggs. Jus Sayin

are "jus sayin" is that you only know one type of merigue when there are serveral types.   

http://www.goodoldrecipes.com/uncooked-meringue/

Edited to add two more recipes that can be used immediately, Armagh.   

http://www.joepastry.com/2011/italian-meringue-recipe/

http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/double-boiler-meringue

 

on preventing meringue's from weeping. If you don't want to risk it by trying these tips (or make one to see how it stands up) you could put the pies in the fridge sans meringue and bake the topping the next day. I would use 4 egg whites- I find it makes a much nicer, higher and less prone to shrink meringue.

I read all the replies with interest. I learned a great deal from reading the links. Isn't it funny that there are so many conflicting methods like always / never put the meringue on hot filling . I think I will try adding cornstarch and I've been told to use icing sugar, not granulated sugar. I have always separated eggs by breaking them into my (clean ) hand and letting the whites run through my fingers. I will stop doing that! It seems that oils or soap residue can remain and the eggs won't whip. I am going to take whipped cream along and if necessary, I will remove the weepy, shrunken meringue and cover with whipped cream.

Who knew that what my grandmother did so matter-of-factly would be the subject of so much research today. She would laugh.

Thanks everyone.

who knew something so many bakers take for granted that it will just turn out perfectly would result in millions of web pages LOL. Yes, icing sugar is always used because regular sugar can leave undissolved granular making for more weeping meringues. 
I read this ditty from Chowhounds forums and the consensus with bakers is:
Not only do you have to anchor the meringue to the crust edges, but also putting the meringue on the filling while hot will keep it from sliding around after cutting. The contact with the hot filling will prevent condensation from forming in the meringue and the resultant weeping; cold temperatures create condensation more quickly, which causes meringue slippage. Keep your filling warm in a double boiler, or reheat to hot, not boiling, and pour it into the pie shell when your meringue is ready for topping. Many recipes instruct the baker to pour the filling into the prepared crust and chill before topping with meringue, but that never works out well.

had better success with my meringue on top of pies since searching the web. Had not yet seen the icing sugar tip but will try it in the future (DD is once again hinting at Lemon-Meringue pie)   The last time I made it , I took my sugar for a spin in my food processor first and it work like a charm (I don`t always have icing sugar on hand)

Also I filled up a big size disposable decorating bag with the meringue and had better results "spreading " the meringue over the hot filling.  This also made a better looking pie top.

for adding to whipping cream because it dissolves immediately. No chance of any sugar crystals or over-mixed cream. Good tip for using a decorating bag for putting meringue over the filling- that can be a bit fussy to get it to look like a child did it LOL! 
Never tried buzzing white sugar in the processor but would if we didn't have any icing sugar.

Have used it in Whipping Cream with good results.