Date Sweetened Vegan Pumpkin Pie |
Don't mind the little burnt blotches along the crust; that's filling I got on there :P |
At Thanksgiving early this year, I made a pumpkin pie that was covered in cracks and wasn't sweet enough. Note to self: a quarter cup of honey isn't enough for an entire pie. Pumpkin pie filling isn't difficult to make, in fact it's pretty fail proof. But making one that isn't laden with refined sugars and one that is crack-free is the challenge. I think I have found the solution!
Date Sweetened Vegan Pumpkin Pie |
Eggs are not part of this recipe, as this pie is vegan. Having egg whites in a pumpkin pie filling may contribute to surface cracks because the proteins in the egg whites will shrink and pull apart as the pie cools, leaving valleys and canyons in the middle of the pie. To combat this problem (as well as make it vegan), cornstarch is used as the thickener. Without a thickener, one would be left with a pile of mashed pumpkin instead of a 'custard'. This recipe of pumpkin 'custard' does not rise at all during baking, which also reduces the risk for cracking. As a heads up, the filling pulls away from the sides just a little bit as it cools. Other than that, the surface of the pie remains crack-free.
Date Sweetened Vegan Pumpkin Pie |
This pie is essentially guilt-free. It's pretty much just dates, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and flour. I am not ashamed to say that I've eaten this pie for breakfast on several occasions. This is how I like to get my fruit and vegetable intake.
Find the healthiest vegan pumpkin pie that is crack-free after the cut!
Date Sweetened Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Filling adapted from The Nonstop Nutritarian
Yield: 1 9-inch pie
Ingredients
- 1 recipe of Easiest & Fastest Vegan Pie Crust
-
1¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup date paste (9 medjool dates + ¼ cup water, blended until smooth)
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp corn starch
- A pinch each of ground ginger, nutmeg, all spice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- Prepare pie crust in pie pan (shallow one is fine) and set in fridge until ready to use.
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk pumpkin puree and date paste together until homogenous. Whisk in milk.
- Add remaining ingredients to filling mixture and whisk until smooth. Taste the batter at this point. For a sweeter filling, add an extra 2 tbsp of liquid sweetener such as maple syrup, agave nectar or for non-vegans, honey.
- Spread pumpkin pie filling into prepared pie crust and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. If the crust begins to get too brown, shield with aluminum foil.
- Cool on the counter for an hour before wrapping with plastic wrap and chilling in fridge overnight. Once thoroughly chilled, slice with a sharp tipped knife.
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