Friday 21 September 2012

Vegan + Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie!

Fall is here,
Let's all cheer!
....
That's as far as I got with my little poem.  Good, right?  It's OK.  We all have our strengths and poetry is decidedly not one of mine.  Baking, on the other hand....

So, in honour of my bake-ability I would like to share with you one of my best friends in all the world, Pumpkin Pie.  As someone with food sensitivities, allergies, and moral "issues", pie is sometimes hard to come by.  Even if the filling isn't loaded with vegan-no-nos, the crust is almost always wheat based.  Le sigh.  This year, I couldn't take it any longer and had to figure out a delicious pie recipe that I could make without too much fuss!

Roasted Sugar Pumpkin, fresh out of the oven


Easy as Pie Crust *wink*

1/2 cup earth balance margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups rice flour (I used brown, you could use white if you want!)
3 - 4 tbsp of cold water

Cut the "butter" into the flour until you have a coarse crumb.  If you have a food processor, you can do this much more quickly by pulsing the mixture a few times and then dumping the crumb back into a large mixing bowl.  Add the cold water one tablespoon at a time and use your hands to mix and form a ball.  It should hold together well and should not be sticky to the touch.  Put the crust into your pie pan and press it out as desired. Poke a bunch of holes into the bottom of the crust with a fork.  Bake at 400F for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and add the pie filling.

My gorgeous pie alongside some of my favorite fall-inspiring
pottery (Thanks, Grandma!)


Pumpkin Pie Filling

1/2 large Sugar Pumpkin, roasted and blended (approx. 15 oz)
1 cup soy/rice/almond/coconut milk (I suspect that coconut milk would be EPIC.)
3/4 cup sugar (white or brown; brown is better, in my humble opinion)
1/4 cup starch (I used Arrowroot but I think corn starch or tapioca starch would work well also)
1 tsp vanilla (or two... *wink*)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp ground ginger

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl (or mixer) and thoroughly combine.  The filling should be smooth and thick.  If it seems much too thin (it should be about the consistency of pudding, maybe a little thinner) you can add one tablespoon of starch at a time until you are happy with it!

"I'm ready for my close up, Ms. Bumble," said the pie.... never.


Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie crust and return to the oven at 425F for 15 minutes.  Turn down the heat to 350F and bake for another 45 minutes or so.  You want a knife or toothpick inserted in the centre of the pie to come out relatively dry.  Remove the pie from the oven and cool, then place it in the fridge for a minimum of half an hour or until ready to serve!  You could top it with a traditional whipped cream (there are some great coconut milk whipped cream recipes out there... I'll whip one up for you soon!), with a chocolate sauce, or with maple syrup.  Eaten hot or cold, this pie turned out perfectly.  In fact... I think I'll go have a slice now!

Crispy, flaky crust.  Creamy, spicy filling.
What more could a girl ask for?


Until next time,
Happy Baking
-- Ms. Bumble xx
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1 comment:

  1. Loved the consistency of the pie, however, for my taste the spices were too much. Are they correct in the recipe? My MIL said the pie was "awful." lol

    ReplyDelete