Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 131

PREHEAT THE oven to 350F. Spray a 10-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

Prepare the crust: Process the grahams into fine crumbs. Place them in a bowl and drizzle the oil on them. Use your fingertips or a fork to mix in the oil until all crumbs are moistened; sprinkle in the soy milk and mix again. Pour the crumbs into the pie plate and firmly press them to the bottom and sides of the plate. Set aside.

Prepare the filling: First, melt your chocolate. Crumble the tofu into a blender or food processor. Add the liqueur, vanilla, and arrowroot to the tofu and blend until completely smooth. Sc.r.a.pe down the sides to make sure you get everything. Add the melted chocolate and blend again until completely mixed. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 40 minutes. The center may still be jiggly, but that's fine.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack on the countertop for 10 minutes, then chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours. The top of the pie should be firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, prepare your candied pecans: Cover a large plate with baking parchment. Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and stir them very frequently for 3 minutes, until they start to brown. Stir constantly for 2 more minutes, until they are a few shades darker and relatively uniformly toasted. (If a few don't look toasted, don't worry about it. That's better than having them burn.) Add the oil and salt, and stir for another minute. Add the maple syrup, stirring constantly for about a minute. The maple syrup should get bubbly and dry. Use a spatula to transfer the pecans to a plate and spread them out as much as you can; it's best if they aren't touching. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Once the pie has been chilling for at least 3 hours, prepare the peanut b.u.t.ter caramel and chocolate drizzle. Have your pie out and ready to be a.s.sembled.

To prepare the peanut b.u.t.ter caramel: Stir all the ingredients together in a small saucepan. Gently heat everything over low heat, stirring constantly with a fork, just until smooth and heated through. It should fall from your fork in ribbons. If it seems stiff, turn off the heat immediately and add a little extra brown rice syrup, until it's fluid again. (This happens because different peanut b.u.t.ters have different amounts of moisture.) Pour the peanut b.u.t.ter over the center of the pie, leaving an inch or two bare at the edges because it spreads. Get your pecans and place them on top of the caramel, pressing them in firmly. You may have to break the pecans apart from one another if they cooled touching.

Prepare the chocolate drizzle: In a small saucepan, heat the soy milk to boiling, then add the chocolate and turn down the heat. Use a fork to stir until completely blended. Turn off the heat and let cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You can drizzle the chocolate over the pie with a spoon, but we like to put it in a pastry bag fitted with a wide writing tip and drizzle it that way, in stripes. Chill the pie for at least 10 minutes before serving, so that the chocolate firms up a bit.

LOST COCONUT CUSTARD PIE.

SERVES 6 TO 8.

TIME: ABOUT 45 MINUTES, PLUS CHILLING TIME.

Lost, literally. That is, the recipe for this pie (which once appeared in an episode of The Post Punk Kitchen, our public-access cooking show) melted into the shadows soon after that episode was filmed and hasn't been seen for years. Yeah, we could have actually just rewatched the show and maybe paid attention to how the pie was made, but where's the fun in that?

But, whatever. This new and improved version of the recipe is better than ever: more fresh coconut flavor from more luscious coconut milk. Not to mention it's now soy free, with the inclusion of rice milk. Because this pie originated as a dessert for Pa.s.sover, we've included its "traditional" matzo crust. But swap graham cracker crumbs (or prepare a prebaked pastry crust) for matzo meal and this cool, sweet, and creamy dessert is the perfect finish to any summertime BBQ or Caribbean-themed meal. Serve it up with slices of fresh pineapple, mango, kiwi, or your favorite seasonal fresh berries.

Crust: 1 recipe Basic Single Pastry (page 262), rolled, shaped, and baked, or Crumb Crust (recipe below), prepared with matzo meal or graham cracker crumbs Filling: 1 cup rice or soy milk

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch

teaspoon agar powder, or 1 teaspoons flakes

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk, regular or lite

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional but good)

Pinch of salt

cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

Optional garnishes: additional shredded coconut or slices of fresh mango, pineapple, sliced strawberries (sprinkle with lemon juice first before top- ping), or any fresh, sliced fruit or berry.

PREPARE ANY of the crusts, bake it, and set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together cup of the rice milk with the arrowroot powder. Set aside.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the remaining cup of the rice milk with the agar power. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow it to boil for about 1 minute, then turn down the heat to medium-low. In a slow, steady stream, pour in arrowroot mixture (you might need to give it a brief stir before pouring), stirring this mixture constantly.

Pour in the coconut milk, lemon juice, and sugar. Using a wire whisk, stir constantly and cook until the mixture has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract, coconut extract if using, salt, and shredded coconut. Immediately pour into the pie crust. If you have any leftover filling, pour that into a small serving dish and there you go, bonus coconut custard! Allow the pie to cool on a countertop for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 2 hours. Cover tightly in plastic wrap until ready to serve.

CRUMB CRUST.

If using graham cracker crumbs, for best results purchase whole crackers and smash them up yourself. This will give you coa.r.s.er crumbs with a more interesting texture than premade graham crumbs. Why not do the same if using matzo, too?

cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

1 cups matzo meal or coa.r.s.e graham cracker crumbs, or vanilla cookie crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons nonhydrogenated vegan margarine, melted, or unrefined coconut oil

3-5 tablespoons soy or rice milk

PREHEAT THE oven to 350F.

Combine the shredded coconut, matzo meal, and sugar in a large bowl. Pour in the melted margarine and toss to create soft crumbs. Add the soy milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is moist and holds together if squeezed. Gently but firmly pat the mixture into a 9- or 10-inch deep pie plate, pressing the mixture up the sides, and form a slight lip if desired. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the coconut and matzo are lightly toasted and the crust is firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack before filling.

VANILLA ICE CREAM.

MAKES 1 PINTS ICE CREAM.

TIME: 10 MINUTES FOR PREPPING AND OVERNIGHT FOR CHILLING.

Making your own ice cream gives you such a feeling of accomplishment, like you just pa.s.sed the bar exam or climbed a mountain. But it also gives you something even more important . . . ice cream! Coconut milk and pureed silken tofu make this ice cream extra thick and super creamy, like it should be. Because ice-cream makers vary by manufacturer, our directions basically say to follow the directions your ice-cream maker came with. Basically, you add the ice cream to the container of your ice-cream maker, and then it churns away to keep your ice cream from forming ice crystals. Remember to make sure all your ingredients are cold by keeping them refrigerated overnight the day before your big ice-cream event. Also, prep your ice-cream bowl by keeping in the freezer overnight. You want everything as cold as can be.

We actually just used the cream from a can of coconut milk. Place the can in fridge overnight and the cream will rise to the top. Open the can carefully and scoop out half a cup of the cream. Freeze the rest for use in a soup or another recipe some other time.

If you are not even considering making your own ice cream, we recommend trying Temptation Ice Cream, from a vegan-owned and -operated company in Chicago.

cup cream of coconut milk (see tip)

1 cup soy milk

cup sugar