No Bake Nutty Banoffe Pie – Vegan & Gluten Free

26 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by Aissa in Gluten Free, No bake/ Raw, Tart, Vegan

Tags

Banoffe Pie, Gluten free, No bake, Pie, recipe, Tart, Vegan

We have been having a bit of (lowers voice to a whisper) “summer weather” here recently- shh or we might scare it away! Warm weather = ripe bananas calling out to be dessertified. Hence Banoffe!

This is my second version of this pie. In the first version I did a base with medjool dates and I just found the fudge-y gooey-ness of the dates just a bit too fudge-y and gooey! Also the taste a little too strong. That said it went down well with my work mates so feel free to blend up four medjool dates instead of using the maple and agave syrup in this one. There will be a lot of either ors in this e.g. I blended cashews but I will give the measure in the recipe for substituting cashew butter if you would prefer to use that.

No Bake Nutty Banoffe Pie

Half a cup of cashews soaked over night

Drain the cashews and blend with two dessertspoons of the soaking liquid. I did not blend it completely smooth as I wanted the odd chunk.

Press in Crust

One and a half generous cups of ground almonds
Three dessertspoons of chopped toasted almonds /almond flakes
Two dessertspoons of desiccated / shredded coconut
An eighth of a teaspoon of pink himalayan salt or sea salt
Half a teaspoon of vanilla powder / insides of one pod
Three ground apricot kernels
OR a quarter teaspoon of natural almond extract
One dessertspoon of organic raw coconut oil
Two dessertspoons of the blended cashews
OR one and a half dessertspoons of cashew nut butter
Two dessertspoons of maple syrup
Two dessertspoons of raw agave syrup

Banana Bananas Banana-y topping

The rest of the blended cashews
OR One and a half dessertspoons of cashew nut butter plus two dessertspoons of non dairy milk
Three large ripe bananas or four medium ones*
One dessertspoon of organic cold pressed coconut oil
Half a teaspoon of runny tahini paste
Two dessertspoons of the set coconut from the top of a can of coconut milk**
OR two dessertspoons of hard creamed coconut mixed to a tick paste with some warm water
Two dessertspoons of chia seeds
Optional: one dessertspoon of roughly ground cacao nibs
Half a teaspoon of vanilla powder/ insides of one pod
A square of dark chocolate for grating on top

*when I say ripe I mean mostly brown skinned. If just ripe you could add a teaspoon of maple syrup to the mix.

** the rest to be used in a curry

Crust Method

So you need a 20cm or 7.5 inch pie tin. Rub it with a little raw coconut oil so you can get the pie out afterwards.

First chop and toast your almonds/ almond flakes and set to one side.

toasted almonds

Mash your coconut oil with the blended cashews. Add in the rest of the wet ingredients.

Mix your dry ingredients- except the toasted almonds. Add the dry to the wet mashing it together really well. It should be sticky but not sloppy- like a slightly wet drop cookie mix. It should be holding together 🙂 Now add in your toasted almonds and stir through evenly.

Crust mixture pre the toasted almonds

Press the crust into the pie tin as evenly as you can. It will make a thin crust. Cover and pop in the fridge while you make the topping.

Press in crust

Banana Bananas Banana-y Topping Method

Get the rest of the blended cashews (or cashew butter and some non dairy milk) add in the coconut oil, the tahini, the creamy coconut (or the creamed one you’ve made into a paste) and either one large banana or two medium ones and blend together- or really really really really mash LOTS!

Next roughly mash in another banana- the reason for doing them separately is to give different textures. Add in the vanilla, chia seeds and ground cacao nibs.

The topping- pre the pretty

Now so, take the crust out from the fridge. Pour your mix on top and spread evenly. Get your last banana and slice really thinly- like a few mm thick. Decorate your pie with the slices. Next grab your square of dark vegan chocolate and grate it over the top. Cover it up again and leave to set in the fridge. I didn’t decorate it with banana the last time- I think the banana decorating should probably wait until you are serving it it incase they turn black.

Banoffe in (shh) Sunshine! I actually nearly threw it out the window instead of gently placing it… oops, flying banoffe pie.. ? Or maybe it just wants to fly- I ramble.

There you have it – Nutty No bake Banoffe Pie! Hope you try it out! Xs Aissa

After Dinner Mint Pie or Torte! Vegan, No bake & Gluten Free

28 Tuesday Apr 2015

Posted by Aissa in Chocolate, Gluten Free, No bake/ Raw, Superfoods, Tart, Vegan

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Cacao, Cacao Butter, Chocolate, Gluten free, No bake, Pie, Superfoods, Tart, Vegan

Chocolate, Coconut, almonds and mint, they are such a lovely combination! Pre my launch into an imformed healthy veggism* and then veganism I used to be fond of a after dinner mint chocolate. Who says I can’t have one??? and I’ll make it better too, added uber antioxidants from the cacao and minus the nasty processed sugar and artifical stuff! Ta-da! Vegan After Dinner Mint Pie!

Chocolatey goodness

Though there are three layers to make, really all you are doing is mushing stuff together, blending bits to something and melting a whole lot of things and pouring them ontop of eachother. What I am saying is- it is easy!! 🙂

After Dinner Mint Pie / Torte

Almond Base

Two and a half dessertspoons of raw organic coconut oil
Four dessertspoons of raw dark agave
A quarter teaspoon of natural almond extract or five ground apricot kernals
A quarter teaspoon of sea salt or himalayan pink salt
One and two third cups of ground almonds
Half a teaspoon of vanilla powder or one pod
One or two dessertspoons of fresh lemon juice

Coconut Peppermint Filling

One cup of dessicated/ shredded coconut
One and a half dessertspoons of raw organic coconut oil
Nine drops of food grade peppermint oil or a teaspoon of natural extract
This is an odd measure- 15 dessertspoons of non dairy milk

Raw Chocolate Layer

Three dessertspoons of chopped cacao paste
Two dessertspoons of chopped cacao butter
One dessertspoon of cacao powder
One and a half dessertspoons of raw organic coconut oil
A quarter teaspoon of himlayan pink salt or fine sea salt
A quarter teaspoon of vanilla powder or half a pod
Four dessertspoons of raw dark agave
Five dessertspoons of non dairy milk

Base Method:

Grab your 7.5 inc or 20cm tart tin/ pie dish!! Rub it with a little coconut oil or if using a spring form one line with grease proof paper.

Mash your coconut oil together with the dark agave first. Mix your ground almonds, salt and vanilla and add these into the wet. Mix and then get in there with your fingers and start pressing the mix together. It will remain a little crumbly. Sprinkle one spoon of your lemon juice in and press the mix again. You may or may not need another spoon. You just want to wet the ingredients enough that it will hold together when pressed between your fingers.

from another base recipe- but this gives you an ides

from another base recipe- but this gives you an idea- the base for this will be darker

Now press into your tart/pie dish. Attempt to do so evenly- it will look prettier when cutting it later! 🙂 Cover it up and put in the fridge.

Coconut Peppermint Filling Method

You will need your blender or food processor for this bit. I imagine an immersion blender would do fine if you can figure out away to stop the coconut from flying all over the room!

Start with your coconut, coconut oil, peppermint and half the non dairy milk ( I used a light coconut one designed for use in cereals or coffee). Give this a blitz with your preferred pre-mentioned electric contraption. Gradually add more non dairy milk until you get the desired snow like consitancy.

Peppermint coconut snow! With very planned soft focus- really…

Take your base out of the fridge and gently press the peppermint coconut snow ontop. Again try and keep it even. Cover up again and put back into the fridge.

Coconut moon!

Raw Chocolate Topping-hmmm

Chop your raw cacao paste and cacao butter. I use an Irish brand called Nua Naturals- it is where I get my vanilla powder and agave too!

The raw fabulousness

Put some water on to simmer and find the right sized a heat proof bowl (e.g perspex ) to place ontop. The water should not touch the bowl or it will be too hot. Pop in your cacao paste, cacao butter and coconut oil. Once melted add the agave, gently stir in the cacao powder, salt, vanilla and non dairy milk of choice. The milk helps the chocolate layer be a little bit softer so that it possible to cut the torte / pie.

Take your nearly finished pie out of the fridge. Use a towel or oven mitt to pick your perspex bowl and pour the yummy gooey chocolate goodness over the snowy coconut layer. It looks so lovely as it coats it. I find it easiest to pick the pie dish up and gently tilt it this way and that until the chocolate has coated it all in a pretty swirling manner. I like to make a tent or tee-pee for my pie out of paper. This keeps it hidden and also reduces the risk of the top of the pie being marked by a collapsing cover.

Leave to chill for a couple of hours at least. You can keep it in the fridge but it really does need to be out at room temprature for a half an hour before serving. I find the the coconut layer goes so solid when refridgerated it will actually separate from the base upon slicing. At room temprature it softens and it all holds together like pies should!

The after dinner mint pie !

Though rich and chocolatey the peppermint adds a freshness that keeps it from being too heavy! Hope you try it out . Xs Aissa

* I was ten when I turned veggie first, so my eduaction re ingredients was a gradual process!

Armadillo Apple Pie or Armoured Irish Apple Tart

28 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by Aissa in Tart, Traditional, Vegan

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Apple Pie, Apple Tart, Pie, Tart, Traditional, Vegan

My lack of bloggin’ is disgraceful. I was down with brief cold and then on holidays. So no sympathy necessary as I was in Italy for a week! One of my key phrases was senza formaggio! 🙂

I have returned in perfect time for Irish Apple season! First day back and my friend who recently moved to the countryside brought me beautiful yellow cooking apples from her garden. Apple Pie or Apple Tart it is! I have made it with green tart Granny Smiths and I made it last year with Braeburn apples from my sisters garden. Every time the apples have been different! Cooking apples tend to be tarter and more firm. Depending on your variety of apple you should adjust the sugar levels. If you are using a eating apple maybe reduce the sugar by a dessertspoon or so.

I really should have used six apples this time as two were rather small

The spelt gives the pastry a depth of flavour, a little nutty. Spelt’s gluten is a little more brittle which makes it easier to digest. That brittle gluten is the reason I balance it some strong white flour so that the dough can be handled well and rolled out nice and thin.

The wonderful Vegan Pie in the Sky book by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero was a good source of tips when I was perfecting this recipe. Esp. the apple cyder vinegar to stop the dough becoming tough when working with it!

You will need a few bowls, measures, a 20cm/7.5inch pie/ tart dish and tinfoil.

It is Armadillo Apple Pie or Armoured Irish Apple Tart as the sugar coating gives it a crunchy crust!

The Crust

Half a teaspoon of sea salt
One and a half cups of wholemeal spelt flour
One cup of strong white flour
Two dessert spoons of rapadura sugar
Six spoons of organic coconut oil
Three spoons of olive oil
6-12 dessert spoons of chilled water
One dessertspoonful of apple cyder vinegar

Put the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir them together.

Dry stuff!

In another bowl mix your coconut oil and olive oil. Add the oils into the dry stuff. Rub the oil into the dry ingredients. The mixture should start to have a mealy pebbly look.

Grab your chilled water and put FOUR dessert spoons of it into a bowl and add your one dessertspoonful of apple cyder vinegar. By the dessertspoonful drizzle the mix over the floury ingredients. Mix each time. Another two dessert spoons of iced water will definitely be needed. Start pressing the mixture together to form your dough. If you end up having to add another six spoons you may have been over generous with the flour or too scant on the oil! The more water the more steam created when it is evaporating off in the oven. So be extra sure not to forget to prick your base to allow the steam out!

Wrap the dough and stick it into the fridge!

The Filling

Five or Six peeled and cored apples, sliced thinly
One generous third of a cup of rapadura/turbinado/ sucucant sugar
Two or three dessert spoons of more rapadura sugar
One dessertspoonful of cornstarch
Two dessert spoons of wholemeal spelt flour
One teaspoon of cinnamon
Half a teaspoon of vanilla powder/ one teaspoon of extract
One teaspoon of sunflower oil suitable for heating
Four drops of food grade lemon oil or the zest of one unwaxed lemon
Two dessert spoons of lemon juice
Optional: One large dessertspoonful of chopped creamed coconut

Peel, core and slice your apples as evenly as possible and set to one side.

At this stage I start preheating my oven to 200C/ 380F as it takes ages to heat up!

Mix the dry ingredients. In another bowl mix the wet ingredients. Add the oil lemon mix to the dry and stir together. For an extra creaminess add the creamed coconut. Rub the coconut into the mix.

Now toss the apples in the mixture so they are all coated. If using an eating apple be aware sometimes they can be a bit more crumbly and delicate, so handle with care. I cover the bowl with a plate and stick it in the fridge.

Apples covered in filling mixture

Topping

One teaspoon of vanilla powder or a generous spoon of extract
Two dessertspoonful of rapadura/ caster sugar
Two dessertspoonful of cold water

This is to coat the surface of the tart just before you put it in the oven

Putting the Pie/ Tart (“Pitart?”) Together

So you make your dough first and pop it in the fridge. Then make up the filling and put in the fridge if the weather is warm. You can make the topping then too if you like.

Take your chilled dough out of the fridge. Cut it so the lump for the topping is every so slightly bigger than the part for the base. Put the dough for the top back in the fridge.

chilled dough

Roll out your base on a clean surface. Check it is the right size by placing your greased 20cm/7.5inch tart/pie dish over it. It should be a little bigger than it so there is enough dough to go up the sides of the dish when pressed in. Roll the dough onto your rolling-pin and unfurl over your dish. Press the dough in, if it is a little uneven at the sides- don’t freak out, you can patch with bits that go over the edge. If there is not enough steal some of the dough set aside for the top and patch it with that!

Prick the base seven or eight times with a fork.

Start Filling! I start in the middle and work my way out in a circle. Overlaying the apple slices. I keep the odd little bits of apple for laying on top, try to spread the gooey filling evenly over the top. It may seem like there is a little too much, but it will shrink as it cooks.

O the bad lighting, pitart filling!

Cover it up, pop into the fridge and take out the dough for the top.

The Roof! Roll out the dough for the top layer. It should be a little thinner and bigger than the base. This is so it will cover the apples and there is enough to crimp the dough where it meets the base. Gently use your rolling-pin to lift it again. Tuck the edges into the pitart and crimp/ press the edges together so the apples cannot escape! Put five slits into the top so all the steam can escape. I had a tiny bit of dough left so I stuck on a badly shaped heart! darn I should have made an apple shape.

Covered up, I used a fork on the edges

Pour your prepared vanilla-y topping mixture over the top and stick into the middle of your preheated oven.

After fifteen to twenty minutes turn the heat down to 180C / 350F. I find it is usually starting to brown at this stage. If not give it another few minutes. Do not open the oven to check. Use a torch if you do not have an oven light see what is happening. I have used torches, bike lights and currently its a radio with a light on it that doubles as my oven spy.

Once browning cover it with a loose tinfoil dome, do NOT tuck all the sides. I push two points under, just to hold it in place. The pie/ tart needs to breath, the tinfoil tent is to stop the pastry burning.

Bake the pie/tart for a total of 50mins, it may even take 60min in a non fan oven. It takes this long as there is no blind baking and a lot of filling.

Take out and leave it too cool for 30minutes. I know I know after all that you have to wait again. The insides need to cool, if you cut it straight away it could be all runny.

I will take a photo again tomorrow as the light is so awful the pie looks weird!

Low light Armadillo Apple pie or Armoured Apple tart!

Hope you like this mash of pie and tart. It is sweet and caramel-y and has filled my flat with smells that remind me of my Mum and Nana. Just need to get some vegan vanilla ice-cream to have it with tomorrow! 🙂

Nut Butter Chocolate Pie! – gluten free

12 Saturday Jul 2014

Posted by Aissa in Chocolate, Gluten Free, Tart, Vegan

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Cacao, Chocolate, Gluten free, Pie, Tart, Vegan

This is a Pie of three parts. Do not be put of, it really isn’t hard. Also it is scrummy. The crust is light and crumbly. The nut butter layer is a mainly peanuty gooey extravaganza. The chocolate layer is the velvety soft melt in your mouth type. The different textures really make it all work.

Chocolate lake hiding the layers underneath!

This recipe originated from little sweet ball versions I made a few years ago. My partner and I had been living in Canada and I became aware of the existence of very processed and not at all vegan chocolate peanut cup type things. I read the ingredients with a horrified stare. When we returned to Ireland I decided I could make a version very easily, maybe better too by adding a crunchy layer. I made cookies, added a blob of peanut butter with maple syrup and dipped them in chocolate. My Logic- what was lovely bite size could be lovely pie size!!

Nut Butter Chocolate Pie! or is it Tart?

First Part: The Crust

One cup of ground almonds
Three quarters of a cup of buckwheat flour
A quarter cup of tapioca and rice flour mixed (I used a gf brand that is a mix of these)
Two dessertspoons of rapadura sugar i.e. turbindo sucucant
A quarter teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt or good sea salt
Half a teaspoon of vanilla powder/ extract / half a pod
Four dessertspoons of mashed coconut oil
Three or four dessertspoons of non diary milk
A cup of dried beans of some sort to weigh down the crust

Pre heat your oven to 180C/350F. Grab your 7.5inc 20cm tart/ pie pan. Grease it with a little coconut oil. If using a spring form one put a little paper square in the middle.

Put all your dry ingredients in a bowl.

Like this. Paint palette not part of the recipe.

Now get your mashed coconut oil. Mix in one spoon of non diary milk. If using vanilla extract add it to this.

Add the oil mix to the dry stuff. Work it in with your fingers. You will need another two spoons of the milk at least. Add the milk a spoon at a time, mix in-between. It should be crumbly looking. You know it is the right consistency when it holds together when pressed between your fingertips. See pic!

Crumbly crust mix

Now! Tip it into your pie/ tart pan. Spread it evenly and start pressing it down. Be firm, make sure it is right to the edges and even. As I have said before “Woe betide the uneven crust!” Now stab about the surface with a fork. This leaves any steam out and helps stop the surface buckling. If you add too much milk there will be too high a water content and therefor more steam! Put your dried beans/ pastry weights on top. Some people like to put baking paper underneath, I do not bother. Save the trees man! 😉

Put it into the middle of your oven and bake for 12 minutes. Fast I know. I have a fan oven, it may take 15min in a non fan. It should be starting to go golden brown at the edges, like a big biscuit/ cookie.

Just out of the oven.

In the winter it can be cold enough to cool on the windowsill. I did leave it out there for a 10 minutes as I was worried my pie dish would crack if I put it straight in the freezer. Take the beans off. Cover it up and stick it in the freezer to cool.

Second Part: The Nut Butter Layer or the taste lots layer!

You will need to melt the ingredients in a bowl over hot water. So have a saucepan with water lightly simmering in it ready. Use a bowl that can take heat to put your ingredients in e.g perspex.

I am giving an optional extra bit to this layer. Reason being I previously used to make it this way and it was lovely. Unfortunately I can no longer get yacon root powder so I have condensed the recipe. It is really good without, a little more gooey and intense, but since I like it both ways I thought I would share.

Four dessertspoons of coconut oil
A quarter cup of natural crunchy salted peanut butter
A quarter cup of natural un-salted skinned peanut butter
One dessertspoon of a runny tahini
One dessertspoon of natural almond butter
One teaspoon of vanilla powder/ one pod/ one generous tsp extract
A dessertspoon of lucuma powder
Scant half a cup of organic icing sugar
OR generous third of a cup of maple syrup & three dessertspoons of arrowroot mixed

Optional extras:

Third of a cup of yacon root powder
Two dessertspoons of agave
Four dessertspoons of non diary milk.

Combine your oil and your nut and seed butters in a bowl. If using vanilla extract add it in now. Taste to make sure they are as lovely together as they are apart. Put the bowl over the simmering water in the saucepan. Now either add your icing sugar (or your maple syrup mix) and the lucuma and vanilla powder . Stir it all together while it gets melty. Taste it again because it will be amazing. If partaking in the optional extras add the yacon first and then the agave and milk. It should be a gooey thick mix. Taste again to make sure it is still as good. Take it off the heat and leave it for just a few minutes to cool.

Soo good so hard not to stick my finger in it

Take your crust out of the freezer. Now pour the nutty mix over this. Spread it out evenly. I put it on my windowsill for a few minutes again. Cover it again with a parchment paper/ cling film or foil and stick it back in the freezer. It needs to be in there for three quarters of an hour. I left mine over night this time as I did not have everything for my chocolate layer!

Third Part: The Chocolate Cacao Ganachy Layer

You will need a saucepan of simmering water and a heat proof bowl. There will be melting again.

Third of a cup of almond/coconut milk
Approx. 40g of good quality chocolate.*
Cacao liquor paste bits. 3in x 2in x 1in thick, 50g?
Two scant dessertspoons of coconut oil
A third of a cup of dark agave
Three dessertspoons of cornstarch

*This time I used a direct trade Beni amazon mix of wild harvest and organic, previously I used a lovely madagascar dark chocolate.

Chop your chocolate and cacao paste. Keep a small bit of the cacao to one side.

chocolate and cacao

In the bowl over the water start by warming your milk. Bring it a very slight simmer and add the cornstarch. Turn the heat down so milk is no longer simmering. Add your cacao,chocolate and coconut oil. Let it all melt and then add your agave, stir it through. Take it off the heat for ten seconds. When back on the heat add the last bit of cacao and let it melt in, stirring with a spatula. Once melted take it back off the heat. This helps make the chocolate shinny.

Melted chocolate cacao glory!

Take your two thirds made pie out of the freezer and pour your melted chocolate goodness over the top. I give the pie a few raps on the counter- the whole base- incase there is any air trapped. Carefully cover it up. I recommend making a tent by sitting it in the centre of paper/foil squeezing it together like a roof over the pie. This is so it doesn’t fall into the melted chocolate. put it into the freezer. Leave it for a minimum of two hours.

I took mine out after and hour this time. I was bringing to a work mate Alanna’s going away pot luck party. Luckily there was lovely savoury salads and Vietnamese style rice paper wraps to be had first. An hour and a half in the fridge at her place meant it was perfectly set. Phew to not serving goo!

Not set pie! 🙂

Nutty, chocolatey crumbly fantastic-ness. It is rich and moreish. A small slice goes a long way. As you keep it in the freezer or fridge it will last… not that eating it quickly should be a problem!

Xs Aissa

P.S I found out from somewhere about different uses of cornstarch and arrowroot, maybe from theppk.com. Here is a helpful little article about thickeners http://www.foodsubs.com/ThickenStarch.html

VeganEtcetera

~ Eating healthily easily

Tag Archives: Pie

No Bake Nutty Banoffe Pie – Vegan & Gluten Free

After Dinner Mint Pie or Torte! Vegan, No bake & Gluten Free

Armadillo Apple Pie or Armoured Irish Apple Tart

Nut Butter Chocolate Pie! – gluten free