BANOFFEE PIE (RAW VEGAN)

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year. I've been home over the holiday season, basking in the peace and relaxation that comes with being surrounded by family and having zero responsibilities. If life could be this way all of the time, I honestly wouldn't complain. While I've been home, I've had the opportunity to share a handful of vegan recipes with my family, one of them being this raw vegan banoffee pie. I first made this at work, and while I'm so used to the flavour that it doesn't seem all that special to me any more, I figured this was one dessert they had to try at least once. And I think you should too :) It's raw, vegan, sugar-free and incredibly indulgent.

You'll need a loose base tart/quiche tin or spring form tin, which you can find easily on Amazon:

Ingredients

- 6-8 ripe bananas

- 2 cups coconut cream

- maple syrup 

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- cacao powder (or cocoa)

For the crust:

- 1 cup desiccated coconut

- 3/4 cup ground almonds

- 1/2 cup pitted dates

For the caramel:

- 1 cup pitted dates

- 1 ripe banana

- juice of 1 lemon

- water (as needed)

Start by making the crust. Blend the coconut, almonds and dates in a food processor until the mixture sticks together when you press it between your finger. Tip this into the base of your tart tin or spring from tin, using the back of a spoon or spatula to spread it evenly to cover the base. Set aside.

To make the raw caramel, blend the dates, banana and lemon juice in a food processor, adding a little bit of water if needed, until you have a relatively smooth, thick, spreadable caramel consistency. Set aside.

To make the coconut cream, use the coconut fat from refrigerated tins of coconut milk (this always rises to the top of the tin). Discard the liquid and transfer the 'cream' to a mixing bowl. Add some vanilla extract and maple syrup (for sweetness) and mix gently.

Slice the ripe bananas into rounds or strips.

To assemble the pie, layer the sliced banana over the crust. Then spread the caramel evenly over the bananas. Gently spread the coconut cream over the top and dust with some cocoa powder. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Done!