Praline Pumpkin Pie - and being thankful for good friends & coconut milk.

         Thanksgiving was celebrated early by my friends and I this weekend, when we got together to enjoy each others company - to laugh, drink, and eat - before our short but much needed Thanksgiving break. One night I made croissants from scratch, which was both time consuming and rewarding, and will receive its own post once I really get the process down. Last night I made pumpkin pie - a classic. We had such a feast, I was overwhelmed with how much tasty, high quality food I was eating, and how many wonderful people I was surrounded by. 

 

         My pumpkin pie was based off of a vegan pie I made last year, which was based off of the original pumpkin pie that my mom has been making since probably before I was born. And for good reason. Her pumpkin pie exists as the pumpkin pie that I judge all others by, because it is just that good. Full of eggs, cream, and a buttery praline crust, it's pretty hard to beat. 

        Last year I was pleased with the results of my vegan pumpkin pie. I used an organic (vegan) crust, and subbed in So Delicious coconut milk and Ener-G egg replacer for the eggs. The coconut milk was an easy substitute for the cream, but as helpful as egg replacer can be, it just doesn't replace the custardy texture given by the eggs. So this year, my un-vegan self made a dairy free pumpkin pie, while using eggs. This might just be my favorite pumpkin pie yet. 

If you are vegan, please check out my vegan praline pumpkin pie. But if you're down with organic, local eggs from happy hens, then give this dairy free pumpkin pie a try. 

Pumpkin Pie ~ dairy free and wonderful

makes 2 9" pies

Crust:

2 9" pie shells, unbaked (I used Trader Joe's pre-made - unfortunately I ran out of time to     make my own)

2/3 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts, if you realize mid-baking session that there are no pecans in your house)

2/3 cup firmly packed brown (organic/fair trade) sugar

6 tbl extra virgin coconut oil, melted

Combine melted coconut oil, sugar, and pecans in a small bowl and mix. Press into the bottom of formed (unbaked) pie shells. 

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Allow your pie shells to cool completely before adding pumpkin batter. 

Pumpkin Filling:

3 organic free range eggs

1 1/4 cup (organic/fair trade) sugar

2 1/2 tbl all purpose flour

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 1/2 cups canned organic pumpkin

1 1/2 cups (1 can) full fat coconut milk

Heat coconut milk in a saucepan, and then combine all ingredients in a mixer. 

Pour the mixture into the two cooled pie crusts. 

I cut out little leaves from the extra pie crust dough I had and put them on top of the pie about half an hour into baking. Bake at 350 degrees for ~60 minutes. Put tin foil around the crust to prevent it from burning. 

The pie is done when, if the pie is moved, the center giggles very slightly but does not flow like a liquid. 

Allow to cool for several hours before serving with some coconut whipped cream : )

Coconut Whipped Cream

1 can full fat coconut milk

3 tbl powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Put the can of coconut milk in the fridge. 

After at least half an hour, take it out, and scoop out the solidified white fat and place it into a mixing bowl. Discard anything in the can that is still liquid. 

Take the solidified coconut fat and put it in a mixer with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and whip the hell out of it until it looks like homemade whipped cream! 

Enjoy as the perfect topping for pumpkin pie. 

Happy Thanksgiving!