Recipe: Vegan Banoffee Pie

I first tasted banoffee pie recently as the feature dessert at our local favourite (non-vegan) pizza joint.  I then learned that it is a popular British dessert.  Ooey gooey and delicious, its loaded with butter, cream and condensed milk.  So I started here decided to lighten it up and veganize it, and voila, vegan banoffee pie.  Its fairly involved, but well worth it.

Lightened Up Vegan Banoffee Pie
Makes 8-12 servings

2 c graham crumbs
1/4 c earth balance vegan butter, melted in microwave
1 tsp + 1 tsp vanilla
2 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
2 cans of full-fat coconut milk, one refrigerated 2-4 hours (do not use light, it won't work)
1/8 + 3 tbsp agave nectar
dark chocolate bar, for shaving

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix graham crumbs , melted butter and 1 tsp vanilla well until crumbs stick together when pinched.  Spread across bottom and up sides of a 9 inch pie dish.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, pour non-refrigerated can of full-fat coconut milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Once boiling, add 1/8 c agave nectar and reduce temperature to medium low.  Simmer for 15 minutes until it turns thick and creamy and reduces to about 1/4 of the amount you started with.  Let cool slightly. 

Cover graham crust evenly with single layer of banana rounds.  Pour reduced coconut milk over the bananas evenly.  Put in fridge to cool and set.

Once the pie has set, you can make the whipped topping.  Remove can of coconut milk from the fridge.  Turn it upside down and open the can at the bottom.  Inside the can, the coconut cream will have separated from the liquid.  Carefully pour out the liquid leaving only the thick coconut cream.  Transfer the cream to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high for 3 minutes (or use hand mixer).  Add 2 tbsp agave and 1 tsp vanilla and mix on high for another 1-2 minutes until stiff peaks form.

Spread coconut cream over pie and shave chocolate over top.  Shave chocolate on top.  Refrigerate until serving.  Pin It Now!