Vegan Peanut Butter & Banana Cream Pie
I've been thinking about making this pie for quite some time. I made a similar pie a few years ago before going vegan and I knew I could make something just as delicious without dairy. I love being right :) I have to say it's downright awesome being able to eat something that tastes so decadent without the side effects of lactose intolerance. I have never liked the taste of milk and it's so wonderful how many dairy alternatives there are. I only remember having rice milk as an alternative as a kid and it wasn't very appetizing either. A different title for this post could be An Open Love Letter to Almond Milk. But anyway, pie. Let's talk about pie. Or better yet, just go straight to the recipe, make the pie and eat it, because it speaks for itself.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Refrigeration Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
Crust:
1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil or vegan margarine
¼ cup coconut sugar
Filling:
1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water for 8 hours or overnight)
1 tablespoon natural smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons coconut oil (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup 1 t tablespoon coconut sugar
1 cup almond milk
½ teaspoon agar powder
2 large bananas, sliced
Coconut Whipped Cream or store-bought non-dairy whipped “cream”
Peanuts for garnish
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Grease your pie plate. In a medium bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, coconut oil, and coconut sugar until combined. Press into the pie plate, making sure to get the sides as well. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
In a blender, blend together the soaked cashews, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ½ cup of the coconut sugar, and ½ of the almond milk until smooth. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring the remaining almond milk and agar powder to a simmer. Continue to cook for 2 minutes.
While the almond milk is simmering, heat a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add the remaining coconut oil. When melted, toss in the bananas and sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of coconut sugar. Stir to coat the bananas and cook for 2 minutes until golden. Turn off the heat to both the saucepan and skillet.
Add the blended cashew cream liquid to the warm almond milk. Whisk until combined. Pour into cooked crust. Add the caramelized bananas.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until the filling has set completely. Top with whipped “cream” of your choice and sprinkle peanuts on top. Serve immediately or return keep cool in your refrigerator.
Crust adapted from Vegan Pie in the Sky.
