Virtual Vegan Potluck: Creamy Key Lime Pie

Our second guest recipe of the Virtual Vegan Potluck Birthday Party comes from Audrey at glutenfreeveganlove.com. Her blog is full of so many absolutely beautiful and creative desserts and I’m super excited that she has shared her Creamy Key Lime Pie recipe with us today!

In Audrey’s words…

“I’ve decided to share my Creamy Key Lime Pie recipe for Ilene’s virtual potluck celebration. Key lime pie used to be one of my favorite desserts and I’m so happy to have discovered an easy way to make a healthier and more nourishing alternative to this classic treat. Hard to believe this pie is gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free! Something I’d certainly LOVE to eat up at a potluck :).”

Creamy Key Lime Pie

Makes a 7” pie, but can be easily doubled for a larger pie

What you’ll need:

Crust Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted or very soft
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
• 1/2 tbs pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch

Filling Ingredients

• Zest of approximately 7-8 key limes
• Juice of 7-8 key limes (roughly ½ cup)
• 2 tbsp agar agar flakes
• ¾ cup raw cashews, pre-soaked for at least a few hours
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 small ripe avocado
• 1/3 cup maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cream Layer Ingredients

• 1 cans full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
• 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (or another liquid sweetener)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 Optional (see note in step 6):

• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp agar agar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a tart pan and set aside.

2. Place all crust ingredients into a large mixing bowl, except for coconut flour and potato starch. Use an immersion blender to mix all the ingredients together until smooth (or do this step in a food processor). Add in remaining crust ingredients and mix the mixture by hand, kneading it lightly until a sticky soft dough forms. Transfer this dough into your oiled tart dish and press it down and spread it evenly throughout the pan (base and edges) using your hands until it’s shaped and molded to the tart pan shape. Use a fork to pierce some holes along the base of the crust to prevent bubbling while baking. Place in the oven and bake for 22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool a on a rack.

3. Place line juice and agar agar flakes into a small sauce pan and warm on medium-low heat until the agar agar flakes dissolve into the juice. You’ll need to stir the mixture regularly and watch that it doesn’t come to a boil. Just leave it long enough on the heat for the agar agar flakes to dissolve. Remove from heat.

4. Place all remaining filling ingredients into a blender (or use a bowl and an immersion blender — that’s what I used) and process until smooth. Add in the key lime juice and agar agar mixture and blend a few seconds longer to mix it in. Pour this mixture into the baked pie crust. Place the pie pan into the freezer to set for at least 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the whipped topping. Open canned coconut milk and scoop out only the solid part of the milk into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add in vanilla and maple syrup and whip it up with a mixer until it’s light and fluffy. (Store remaining coconut water for later use or discard).

6. Warm up the water and the agar agar on medium heat in a small saucepan or pot. Keep whisking it until the agar is fully dissolved. Do not wait till the mixture boils! This is important, as it’ll clump up. Once the agar is just dissolved, pour the mixture into the whipped coconut cream and whip some more until everything is combined. NOTE: You can skip this step if you prefer, and just make a batch of fresh vegan whipped cream (step 5). The agar agar addition helps to make the whipped cream set more so that it slices nicely.

7. Scoop coconut cream mixture into the pie atop the key lime layer. Spread it around evenly. Place pie in the fridge and refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving to allow it to set (or place in the freezer for 1 hour to speed up the process). I found that the longer it was chilled, the better it tasted!

Enjoy!

xo Audrey @ Gluten-Free Vegan Love {www.glutenfreeveganlove.com}