Vegan Coconut Cream Pie

Is it wrong to dream of these?

[photo cred]

Not when you can make one of these to satisfy that hankering for coconut…

That, my friends, is coconut cream pie. Now what I’m going to tell you may shock or disgust you. Are you ready for it?…..

It’s made with tofu!

I love tofu in pretty much anything, so when I saw that a lot of vegan pies included the stuff, I wasn’t afraid it would taste bad, but I was afraid of having to convince others to try it. Tofu seems to be one of those foods that is either deeply loved or truly detested — no in-between. So, I was ready to do the “spoon airplane” maneuver and baby voice to get my mom and boyfriend to try it. No need. The boyfriend began licking spoons with batter well before the pie was complete and my mom gladly devoured a slice of the masterpiece. Kids, this pie is insanely simple to make and insanely delicious.

Allowing the pie adequate time in the fridge to firm up and absorb the coconut flavor is key! Once it has the time to settle, it gains the consistency of cheesecake and loses any “tofu taste.” Amazing.

If you’re afraid of cooking with tofu, have no fear – you can’t mess this recipe up! You don’t cook the tofu AND you don’t really have to worry about draining it as well as you would if you were cooking it as an entree! Have I convinced you yet?

what about now?

Recipe for “Tofu Coconut Cream Pie” from DeliciousTV here, and listed verbatim below, w/ my notes in italics.

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 pkg. vegan graham crackers (12-14 crackers)
• 2 T. sugar
• 6 T. vegan margarine (I’d actually use much less margarine next time (I’d add little by little) — the crust was one big buttery flake, which is fine for most, but not for those of us erhem who are trying to battle the bulge)

For the filling:

• ½ c. plus 2 T. toasted shredded coconut (reserve 2 T.)
• 1 14-oz. package firm tofu, drained and rinsed (I used extra firm)
• ¼ c. light brown sugar (very lightly packed) or pure cane sugar
• 2-3 T. coconut milk* (I used light coconut milk)
• 1/8 t. Vanilla extract (optional)

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 350. In a small pan, melt the margarine. In a food processor, process the crackers and sugar. Place the dry mixture in a bowl and drizzle in the melted margarine, mix well, and press into a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, then remove it from the oven, and allow it cool.
• Sprinkle the shredded coconut on a lined baking sheet and toast it in the oven until it’s light brown. Keep an eye on it, because coconut can burn very quickly. Remove the toasted pieces from the oven and place them in a bowl, fluffing the coconut if needed.
• In a food processor, purée the tofu until smooth. Add the sugar, coconut milk, vanilla, and 8 tablespoons of the coconut. Process on high for about 10 seconds, then pour the mixture into the pre-baked shell, and top with the remaining toasted coconut. Chill the pie for two hours, or overnight. This pie keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator – but it usually gets eaten long before that.
• This recipe may also be prepared in a square or rectangular pan and cut into individual squares for a great party treat.
• *Sweetened coconut milk is, of course, sweeter and has a more intense coconut flavor, however unsweetened works just as well. Try it both ways and see which you prefer.

From Sparkpeople recipe calculator for 1/8th pie:

Nutrition Facts User Entered Recipe
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		277.9
Total Fat		18.3 g
	Saturated Fat	4.9 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	4.8 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	5.1 g
Cholesterol		9.4 mg
Sodium		231.0 mg
Potassium		168.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate		32.5 g
	Dietary Fiber	2.3 g
	Sugars	18.7 g
Protein		9.8 g

Vitamin A	9.3 %
Vitamin B-12	0.1 %
Vitamin B-6	2.9 %
Vitamin C	0.2 %
Vitamin D	0.0 %
Vitamin E	5.8 %
Calcium	35.3 %
Copper	12.1 %
Folate	5.6 %
Iron	11.9 %
Magnesium	9.0 %
Manganese	37.4 %
Niacin	4.6 %
Pantothenic Acid	1.7 %
Phosphorus	11.7 %
Riboflavin	6.5 %
Selenium	15.2 %
Thiamin	7.9 %
Zinc	6.2 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Ever made dessert with tofu?

Want more tofu dessert recipes?

• Heavenly Pie from 101 Cookbooks (Vegetarian; not vegan)
• Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake from PPK
• Low-Fat Vegan Cheesecake from Happy Herbivore
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse (Vegan)

Alright — I’m off to run and finish prepping things for my boyfriend’s birthday. I hope you guys have a wonderful weekend!

<3,

The Cranky One

p.s. In hilarious (and frightening?) news of the day — prepare for a nasal assault! Highway billboard in North Carolina is “steak-scented.” Good lord. Click here for story.

Tags: coconut, dessert, healthy desserts, tofu, tofu desserts, vegan desserts, vegetarian desserts