Pumpkin pie with a pecan topping

Vegan version of America’s classic Thanksgiving dessert. Filled with sweet pumpkin and warming spice, and maple coated pecans on top.

 

Makes 10 SERVINGS

Equipment needed: blender, baking tray, saucepan, large mixing bowl

Total Time: 1hours and 35minutes

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1200 g peeled and cored pumpkin – I just did a whole pumpkin and had some left over
  • 300 g short crust pastry – a packet of vegan ready made
  • 120 ml Maple syrup
  • 250 ml coconut milk half a tin, just the solid part
  • 4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp grated nutmeg
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 200 g soft brown sugar
  • 100 g pecans
  • 4 tbsp cornflour
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

 

Method: 

  1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan.
  2. Peel and cube the pumpkin and place on a baking tray. Roast for 40 mins or until soft enough to squash with the back of a fork. Take out of the oven and set aside to completely cool. Keep the oven on.
  3. While the pumpkin is roasting, on a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin (4mm). Drape it over your rolling pin and lift into a 25cm fluted tart tin. Push the pastry into the corners of the tin, trim the excess pastry, but leaving about 1cm hanging over the edge of the tin. Chill in the fridge for 20 mins.
  4. Now blind bake the pastry by lining the tart case with a sheet of baking paper then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins or until the sides look golden, then remove the parchment and beans. continue baking for another 5-10 mins or until the base looks biscuity and dry. Remove from the oven. Keep the oven on.
  5. Mash the roasted pumpkin and then drain off the excess water by leaving it in a sieve over a bowl.
  6. Put the drain pumpkin mash into a high powered food processor with the maple syrup, sug-ar, cinnamon, mixed spice, the grated nutmeg, cornflour, coconut milk and milk, salt and blitz until smooth.
  7. If you want very smooth texture to the pie filling, pass the mixture through a sieve.
  8. now prep the pecan topping – Put the pecans in a bowl and sprinkle 2 teaspoons of corn-flour over and mix well. now drizzle a tablespoon of Maple syrup and mix until all the pe-cans are coated.
  9. Fill the tart case with the pumpkin filling and smooth the top. Now place the pecans gently on top starting on the outside and round and then moving into the centre.
  10. loosely cover with cooking foil
  11. Now place the tart back in the oven. Bake for 45 mins.
  12. Cool for 25-35 mins. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm, or chill for a few hours and then serve. Keeps up to two days in the fridge