Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Vegan Banana Cream Dessert

I LOVE Banana Cream Pie...it's a huge weakness of mine!  And it just so happens that my Grandma Sass makes the VERY BEST Banana Cream Pie that you will ever wrap your lips around!  Around Thanksgiving time, I was throwing myself a little pity party because I was missing my "old ways" (which included the aforementioned pie), so I decided to quit crying about it, and make up my own version!  So glad I did!  This dessert captures the essence of the sweet, creamy pie...minus the pie crust (which I've never been a fan of)!  Instead, I've replaced it with an irresistible cookie crumble, that even now, has my mouth watering!!

The Crumble:

1/2 c. coconut oil (slightly softened)
1/4 c. agave
3/4 t. sea salt
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
2 1/4 c. King Arthur's White Whole Wheat Flour

-With the back of a fork, mix, while pressing against the side of the bowl to form a crumbled texture.

-Set aside until it's time to assemble.

The Filling:

1 c. mimicream (this is a nut-based cream that I found at my health food store...it's a GREAT substitute in creamy dishes!!)
1/2 c. coconut milk (from a can...not the watered down kind...we're talking full fat baby!!)
6 T. agave
2 T. nutritional yeast (super high in minerals and B vitamins...this will give it a "custardy" taste...you'll have to go to a health food store to find it)
2 T. egg replacer (usually I'm not picky about which brand you use, but in this case, go with Bob's Red Mill)
1 t. sea salt

-Over medium heat, bring this to a boil...stirring constantly, so as not to burn.

-Slowly, while whisking, sprinkle in 1/4-1/2 c. flour (King Arthur's White Whole Wheat)

-Let boil for about 3-5 minutes, until it thickens to a "custard-like" feel!

-Add:

1/2 t. cinnamon
5 T. vanilla (yes, 5)

-Now, there are a couple of ways you can do the assembly...do whatever you prefer:

-Slightly press crumble into a creme brulee dish, add banana slices, spoon "custard" over it, and top with more crumble, bake at 325 for 7 mins.

-Skip the cookie crumble on bottom, add banana slices, custard, and crumble to the top, and bake at 325 for 7 mins...

-Or press crumble lightly into an 8x8 pan, add 2-3 bananas (or more if you like), the custard, and then top with 1-2 c. of the crumble, and bake at 350 for around 20-25 minutes.

-It's really up to you, and what you prefer to do!  I did all of them, and got mixed feed back with each...the individual ones are nice because they're cute, and look, sophisticated, but they're a hassle!  The big one is easier, it just loses SOME of the "wow factor" when it's served.  Your choice...either way...it tastes amazing!!

-Oh yeah, I'd chill it before you serve it!

3 comments:

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  2. This might sound like a silly question, but remember, I'm new to this.
    Is mimicream a substitute to heavy cream (found in the dairy section of the grocery store)?

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  3. you won't find mimicream in the regular grocery store...it's a nut-based, dairy free cream, that may even be hard to find in a health food store at times. i use it to substitute anything that would call for any type of cream (except for whipping).

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