Vegan Pumpkin Praline Pie Recipe

                           

PUMPKIN PRALINE PIE

inspired by my Great Grandmother Francis’ pie recipe which won honorable mention at the first Pillsbury bake-off at the Waldorf-Astoria, Grand Ballroom, in New York in 1933

ingredients

pumpkin custard filling

1 – 15 oz can of organic pumpkin

1 ½ cups of rice milk, or milk of choice

¼ cup of corn starch

½ cup of brown sugar

1 T. molasses

1 t. vanilla

1 t. cinnamon

¾ t. ground ginger

½ t. ground clove

praline layer

4 T. earth balance butter, softened

½ cup of pecans, finely chopped

½ cup of brown sugar, packed

1 vegan pie crust

to make the pie:  Press or roll pie crust into a 9’’ pie dish.  To make the praline layer, combine earth balance butter, pecans and ½ cup of brown sugar in a bowl.  Gently press the praline combination into the bottom of the prepared pie shell.  Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Cool at least 2 minutes.

Once you remove the prepared pie shell from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees!!

Meanwhile, prepare the Pumpkin Custard Filling.

to make the pumpkin filling: Combine the rice milk and cornstarch in a medium bowl and beat until the cornstarch is blended without lumps.  Add ½ cup of brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ground ginger and cloves.   Once well blended, add the pumpkin and mix well.

Pour the Pumpkin Custard Filling into the slightly cooled prepared pie shell and bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes, until just set in the center.  The pie shouldn’t jiggle if slightly nudged.  Cool and refrigerate overnight.  Serve with maple whipped topping.

tips: Pie can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated.

VEGAN PIE CRUST

ingredients

1 ½ cups flour*

3 T. sugar

¼ cup of vegetable oil

¼ cup organic applesauce

* For a gluten-free pie crust, substitute ¾ cup of almond flour and ¾ cup of brown rice flour

to make pie crust: Combine flour and sugar and add oil and applesauce.  Gently mix with a fork and press into a 9’’ pie dish.  Gently press crust up the sides of the dish. 

if the pie recipe calls for a pre-baked crust: Bake crust for 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven.