ABOUT THE RECIPE:
Pumpkin Pie with Date-Nut Crust is a classic dessert with a jazzy twist. Serve it with Vegan Vanilla Whipped “Cream"(recipe below) for a festive flair! This delicious pie is vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free, so it is the perfect dessert to serve for any holiday celebration!
Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
CRUST
10 large pitted Medjool dates, plus more as needed
1/2 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup rolled oats (use gluten-free if needed)
FILLING
14 to 16 ounces firm or extra-firm regular tofu
1 can (about 15 to 16 ounces) pumpkin purée
⅔ cup brown sugar or maple sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
⅛ teaspoon salt
TOPPING
Bourbon Vanilla Whipped “Cream” or Plain Vanilla Whipped “Cream” (optional, see recipe below)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a 9-inch pie plate.
To make the crust, put the dates, pecans, and oats in a high-performance blending appliance and process until the mixture forms a dough. If the mixture is still too crumbly to hold together, add more pitted dates, one at a time, until the consistency is doughy. Form the date mixture into a ball and place it in the center of the prepared pie plate (see note below, for alternate instructions if you prefer to roll out the crust, first).
Press the date mixture evenly over the bottom of the plate (using the bottom of a measuring cup is handy for this), pushing it up the sides of the pie plate as you go, to make a crust. To craft a pretty edge to the crust, use your index finger to push the inner edge of the crust out, while pinching the outer edge in with the thumb and index finger of your other hand to make a classic scalloped edge around the pie crust.
Put all of the filling ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and gently cover the crust edges with small strips of foil, so the edges do not continue to brown.
Bake the pie for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until the filling is almost firm to the touch (the center will still be slightly soft). Place the pie on a wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, pipe vegan whipped “cream” (recipe below) around the perimeter of the pie using a star tip, or simply serve a dollop of the vegan whipped “cream” on the side.
NOTE: If desired, you may put the dough between 2 pieces of unbleached parchment paper (or eco-friendly wax paper) then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10-inch round before placing it in the prepared pie plate. Proceed as directed.
NOTE: If you are serving the pie warm, let it stand it at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before serving (pie will still be very soft if served warm). If you are serving the pie chilled, cool, then cover it and place it in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours before serving. (It will firm up more, once chilled.) Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, leftover pie will keep about 2 days.
Vegan Bourbon Vanilla Whipped “Cream” (or Plain Vegan Vanilla Whipped “Cream”)
14 to 16 ounces extra-firm regular tofu, drained (sprouted variety is nice for this)
3 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon bourbon-flavored OR plain vanilla extract
Put all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Taste and add more maple syrup if a sweeter flavor is desired. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours (to firm up) or up to 24 hours and serve.
Ingredients
Directions
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
Pumpkin Pie with Date-Nut Crust is a classic dessert with a jazzy twist. Serve it with Vegan Vanilla Whipped “Cream"(recipe below) for a festive flair! This delicious pie is vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free, so it is the perfect dessert to serve for any holiday celebration!
Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
CRUST
10 large pitted Medjool dates, plus more as needed
1/2 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup rolled oats (use gluten-free if needed)
FILLING
14 to 16 ounces firm or extra-firm regular tofu
1 can (about 15 to 16 ounces) pumpkin purée
⅔ cup brown sugar or maple sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
⅛ teaspoon salt
TOPPING
Bourbon Vanilla Whipped “Cream” or Plain Vanilla Whipped “Cream” (optional, see recipe below)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a 9-inch pie plate.
To make the crust, put the dates, pecans, and oats in a high-performance blending appliance and process until the mixture forms a dough. If the mixture is still too crumbly to hold together, add more pitted dates, one at a time, until the consistency is doughy. Form the date mixture into a ball and place it in the center of the prepared pie plate (see note below, for alternate instructions if you prefer to roll out the crust, first).
Press the date mixture evenly over the bottom of the plate (using the bottom of a measuring cup is handy for this), pushing it up the sides of the pie plate as you go, to make a crust. To craft a pretty edge to the crust, use your index finger to push the inner edge of the crust out, while pinching the outer edge in with the thumb and index finger of your other hand to make a classic scalloped edge around the pie crust.
Put all of the filling ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and gently cover the crust edges with small strips of foil, so the edges do not continue to brown.
Bake the pie for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until the filling is almost firm to the touch (the center will still be slightly soft). Place the pie on a wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, pipe vegan whipped “cream” (recipe below) around the perimeter of the pie using a star tip, or simply serve a dollop of the vegan whipped “cream” on the side.
NOTE: If desired, you may put the dough between 2 pieces of unbleached parchment paper (or eco-friendly wax paper) then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10-inch round before placing it in the prepared pie plate. Proceed as directed.
NOTE: If you are serving the pie warm, let it stand it at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before serving (pie will still be very soft if served warm). If you are serving the pie chilled, cool, then cover it and place it in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours before serving. (It will firm up more, once chilled.) Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, leftover pie will keep about 2 days.
Vegan Bourbon Vanilla Whipped “Cream” (or Plain Vegan Vanilla Whipped “Cream”)
14 to 16 ounces extra-firm regular tofu, drained (sprouted variety is nice for this)
3 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon bourbon-flavored OR plain vanilla extract
Put all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Taste and add more maple syrup if a sweeter flavor is desired. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours (to firm up) or up to 24 hours and serve.