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A-slice-of-vegan-ackee-coconut-creme-pie
Chantal

Vegan Coconut Ackee Cream Pie

This pie is a coconut lover’s dream! Coconut flavour in every bite; the crust is made with coconut oil and the silky custard filling with ackees and coconut milk; it’s all topped off with coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes. Indulgent, yet light on the palate and it’s vegan!
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Servings: 8 slices
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust:
  • 180 g (1 ½ cups) All purpose flour
  • 2 g (¼ tsp) Salt
  • 120 g (8 tbsps) Coconut oil*, chilled
  • 3 g (1 tsp) Apple cider vinegar, cold
  • 30 to 60 g (2 to 4 tbsps) Cold Water
For the filling:
  • 72 g (6 tbsps) Granulated white sugar
  • 50 g (5 tbsps) Arrowroot powder (alternately you can use cornstarch)
  • 1 14 oz can Coconut Milk
  • 170 g (1 cup) Parboiled (or canned) ackee, pureed
  • 3 g (½ tsp) Vanilla extract
  • 2 g (¼ tsp) Coconut extract
For the Whipped Cream:
  • 1 14 oz can Coconut milk
  • 30 to 60 g (¼ to ½ cup) Icing sugar
  • Coconut extract optional
For the toasted Coconut:
  • 30 g (½ cup) Unsweetened coconut flakes

Method
 

Method (Crust):
  1. Combine salt and flour in a bowl and whisk together.
  2. Rub in coconut oil until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (you can do this part in a food processor so that the oil doesn’t melt too much)
  3. Sprinkle over the apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of the water at a time, pulling the dough together with your hands or a spoon. Only use as much water as you need for the dough to hold together, the dough should not be sticky.
  4. Form into a ball and press into a disc. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.
  5. Roll dough out and line a 9inch pie dish. Chill for another 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 205˚C (400˚F).
  6. Line pie crust with foil and weight it down it dried beans or rice.
  7. Bake the crust for 15 minutes then remove the foil and weights and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes till done.
  8. Remove and let cool
Method (Filling):
  1. Combine sugar, arrowroot powder and coconut milk in a saucepan.
  2. Heat over medium heat until it boils and thickens.
  3. Add the pureed ackee and extract mixing till well combined.
  4. Pour into prepared crust and smooth top
  5. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the custard to set.
Method (Whipped Cream):
  1. Chill coconut milk overnight. Chill your mixing bowl and beaters as well especially if your kitchen is warm.
  2. On the following day, when ready to make the cream, open the can and scoop the solid coconut cream from the top and place in chilled mixing bowl.
  3. Whip for a couple minutes then add the sugar and a splash of extract if using, keep whipping until the cream is thick.
  4. It will keep for a few days in the fridge but does not hold up well in the heat so bear that in mind.
Method (Toasted Coconut):
  1. Place coconut flakes on a sheet of parchment and toast in preheated 180˚C (325˚F) oven for 5 to 8 minutes till golden.
To finish:
  1. Top chilled pie with the coconut whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes

Notes

  • Use unrefined coconut oil, sometimes marketed as “virgin”, “extra-virgin” or “cold-pressed” as it has a lovely coconut flavor. Refined will still work.
  • Look for a full fat can of coconut milk that does not contain stabilisers or thickeners, particularly guar gum as it inhibits the cream from whipping.
  • Do not shake up the can as you want the liquid and the fat to separate. I have found the alternate method of pouring the coconut milk into a strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth over a bowl to be effective. Set in the fridge overnight for the liquid to drain off and proceed as outlined below.
Separating-coconut-fat-for-whipping-cream