Banoffee Pie

©icookvegan

It’s about time I shared my Vegan Banoffee Pie recipe. I was set this challenge a while ago and had two attempts before I was satisfied with the creation.  The main problem I found in veganising this was creating the right consistency of the toffee, as it tended to be too runny, also fluffy Vegan cream is not an easy creation. Applying trial and error brought me this variation, which was lovely & sugary sweet.

It’s a long method, but if you’re craving Banoffee, satisfying. This  recipe is also literal proof that not all vegan food is healthy as this is a full fat, full sugared delight.

Ingredients

For pie base:

• 250g Vegan Digestive Biscuits (co-op’s own brand are, currently, vegan)
• 1 tablespoon of Golden Syrup
• 80g melted vegan butter

Filling

• 4oz (115g) brown sugar
• 4oz (115g) margarine
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 4floz (100 ml) soya milk
• 1 dessert spoon cornflour
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 3 large bananas
• 375g Full Fat Coconut Cream*
• 3 tablespoons powdered/icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Method

1. Crush digestives by placing in a bag and crushing with a rolling pin, or pulse in a food processor. Transfer the crushed biscuits to a medium mixing bowl.
2. Melt the vegan marg or butter in a small pan and add the syrup, mix until well combined then allow to cool.
3. Add melted butter mix to the crushed biscuits and combine well until , then transfer into 9″ – 10″ cake tin or dish and cover the bottom & sides. Chill in the freezer for 20-25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile,  in a saucepan with sugar thermometer attached, gently heat the sugar, margarine and golden syrup.
5. Constantly stirring the mixture with a non plastic spoon, boil up to soft ball stage. Simmer for 5 minutes, to ensuring not to let the temperature go higher.
6. Meanwhile, combine soya milk and heaped dessert spoonful of cornflour in small pan until a thick white sauce is made. Stir in half of the vanilla essence.
7. Remove toffee from the heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Beat toffee whilst adding the white sauce to it. Mix thoroughly and remove any un-dissolved lumps of cornflour.
8. Slice the bananas thinly, then remove cake tin & base from the freezer and line banana slices evenly on the base.
9. Once cooled to room temperature, poor the toffee mixture over the top, ensuring you cover the bananas completely, then place back in the fridge until cooled.
10. Spoon Coconut Cream into a chilled mixing bowl (preferably a glass bowl) & sift in the powdered sugar and begin whisking with a chilled whisk or electric hand mixer (with chilled beaters). The cream is done when it thickens and soft peaks form when a whisk or beater is lifted. Stiff peaks may be achieved if the coconut milk is particularly high-fat, but don’t whip the cream too long as it will warm and liquefy.
11. Remove cooled cake base etc from the fridge & pipe or spoon the coconut cream on top of the Banana & Toffee .
12. Refrigerate for an hour (longer if possible) before serving. Dust with Cocoa Powder.

* The best way to get thick coconut cream is to refrigerate an unopened can for at least an hour, or freeze for about 20 minutes. Be careful not to agitate the can as you want the full fat cream to rise to the top, leaving thinner coconut liquid underneath. Remove from refrigerator or freezer, and carefully open the can. Using a small spoon, skim the cream from the top, and transfer to a chilled bowl. For this recipe you’ll need 2 – 3 cans of full-fat Coconut Milk.

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