Tangy Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Molasses Coconut Cream

Mmmmm Pie!  Why stop the pumpkin love after Fall?  My pumpkins store great all winter long!  AND my favorite food ever is anything pumpkin pie flavored. Enter, the winter pumpkin pie.

Incase I haven't harped on about this enough, our heat broke last night and while our noses and fingers were freezing, I decided it was the perfect time to bake something warming and delicious.  I'll be honest with you here; I intended to make a cheese cake like pumpkin pie because I thought that would be fun, but I ended up with a tangy pumpkin pie.  Still delicious.

The topping came about because I didn't have anymore maple syrup, which is my favorite way to make coconut whipped cream, a touch of vanilla and maple syrup.  Should I use honey?  No, not really going for that flavor.  Molasses?  Well that's an idea.  I do love molasses and it definitely pairs well with pumpkin pie.

A last garnish.  What should it be?  OF COURSE something that was also in the same color profile because that makes for a contrasting picture: Crystalized ginger!

So yes, I could have actually considered the look of the dish and not made everything varying shades of orange brown, but it tasted great!

Tangy Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Molasses Coconut Cream

I based my recipe off of Gena Hamshaw's Food 52 recipe.  You can find her great stuff over at Choosing Raw too.

For the Crust:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup (more as necessary) coconut oil, cool enough to be solid
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup non-dairy milk of choice

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients except the milk into a bowl and mix together with a fork or your fingers until it is a somewhat crumbly consistency.
2. Add a little of the milk at a time making sure not to over mix
3. When the cough sticks together when pressed, but crumbles when separated, it is ready
4. Place in a pie tin and use your fingers and knuckles to spread it as thin and evenly as possible.  This gives it a crumbly, rustic texture, which I love.
5. Set aside in a cool place

For the Filling:

• 2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1.5 cup cashews, soaked 3+ hours and drained of soaking water
• 3/4 cups demerara, brown, or cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinches cloves

(I always do the spices to taste since I like my pie extra spicy)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Place all items, saving the spices for last, into a blender.

Blend until completely smooth.

Add spices and adjust to taste.

Pour into crust and smooth over with a spatula.

Bake until the crust is a soft golden brown and a knife comes out clean from the middle of the pie, or about 40 minutes.

Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before placing in the fridge until fully cooled.

For the Molasses Coconut Whipped Cream Topping:

• 1 can full fat coconut milk refrigerated at least 3 hours
• 2-3 Tbs molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Turbinado or other sugar to taste
• A pinch of crystalized ginger

Instructions:

1. Open can of coconut mil and scoop out the hardened cream into a bowl.
2. Begin to whip it and break it up with a fork or whisk.
3. As it warms up and gets softer, whisk more vigorously and add the molasses, vanilla, and sugar, tasting as you go.
4. When it is fluffy, spoon over pie and sprinkle crystalized ginger over top.
5. Take a picture, then enjoy!