Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

9 Replies

Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust {Vegan, Gluten-Free} Let me start by saying that I hope you all had a lovely Halloween, and that I’m so glad it’s over so we can talk about Thanksgiving food.I got a little head start with Wednesday’s Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws, but now I’m going all-in: (more) appetizers and sides and, most importantly, PIES are coming your way, just in time for the biggest food holiday of the year!

This first pie of the season is a little of what you’d expect and a little…not. It’s Pumpkin Pie, but where that usually entails eggs, cream, and loads of sugar, this one is vegan, gluten-free, and contains less than 1/2 cup of sweetener (mostly maple syrup).

…are you still there? Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust {Vegan, Gluten-Free} If you haven’t clicked away, never to return…well, good. More pie for us.You see, for all the things that this pie is not, it is very much one thing: delicious. Like so good I’m not totally sure why we would eat any other pumpkin pie.The filling is soft and sweet and perfectly spiced and the crust is mostly made of ground toasted pecans. GROUND TOASTED PECANS. And it’s a press-in crust—no rolling required. Does it get better than that?

Um, yes. Yes it does. Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust {Vegan, Gluten-Free} Both elements come together in the food processor.And the whole pie requires exactly nine ingredients.And it’s actually best if it’s made ahead, so you won’t have to give up valuable Thanksgiving Day oven space.And, again, it’s vegan, gluten-free, and contains just enough sweetener to make it taste like dessert. And make no mistake, it does taste like dessert. I am not the sort of person who is going to get behind a recipe just because it’s “better for you.” Nope. It’s big flavor or go home here at E2 Bakes. If it happens to be somewhat nutritious, that’s just a bonus. Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust {Vegan, Gluten-Free} Have a great weekend, y’all ❤

Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
makes 1 9-inch pie

Toasted Pecan Crust:
8 ounces (2 cups) raw pecan halves
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted or solid)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
pinch of Kosher or sea salt

Pumpkin Pie Filling:
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin purée (I like Libby’s)
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or light brown sugar)
1 tablespoon coconut oil (melted or solid)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
pinch Kosher or sea salt

For serving (optional):
whipped cream (regular or vegan)

Place an oven rack in the bottom position, leaving about 8 inches of space above it. Preheat oven to 350F.

Scatter pecan halves on a dry rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until fragrant. Do not burn. Let pecans cool for a few minutes, or until you can handle them.

Place toasted pecan halves, cornstarch, coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt in the bowl of a food processor (or high-powered blender). Process until no large chunks remain, scraping down the sides as necessary. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch pie plate. Press it into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Wipe out the bowl of the food processor.

Make the filling. Combine pumpkin purée, almond milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in the food processor. Process until smooth. Transfer to prepared crust and smooth the top.

Place full pan on a rimmed sheet pan. Loosely wrap a 4-5 foot piece of aluminum foil around the pie, securing the ends by crumpling them together (more on that here). Bake pie on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, or until turning brown at the edges and firm-looking in the center.

Turn off oven and open door slightly. Let pie remain in the oven for 30 minutes. Do not skip this step.

Remove pie from oven and let cool completely on a rack. Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours before slicing and serving. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Leftover pie will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days. Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws

3 Replies

Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws Happy Halloween! If you’re looking for holiday-appropriate recipes, see here, here, and here. If, however, you are ready to move on to Thanksgiving recipes, you’re in the right place.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting the sorts of recipes I’d like to put on my holiday table. You know, the sorts of things I’d make if I came from a family that cooked on Thanksgiving.
I don’t though, and we already have a reservation, so consider these next six or seven posts as a little teaser of what I will one day make when I get to live out my dream of making a Thanksgiving Dinner at home.There is going to be a lot of pie (starting Friday!), but before we get to dessert, let’s have an appetizer: Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws.These golden, twisted beauties are perfect for any holiday cheese plate. They’re salty, flaky, cheesy, and have an aromatic hit of fresh rosemary—they’re perfect sidled up to a pile of sliced fresh pears.While these cheese straws look fancy, they are easy to make from scratch and require only eight ingredients. The base recipe is rough puff pastry dough. Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws
Whenever possible, I like to use rough puff in place of frozen puff pastry. Here, it’s not an option to start with pre-made pastry because minced fresh rosemary is incorporated directly into the dough. Don’t worry—this is extremely easy to make and takes about five minutes total. Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws Once you have a dough, roll it into a sheet. Scatter fine, airy shreds of fresh Parmesan over the top and fold it all together like a letter. This will give you flaky layer of dough, along with almost impossibly thin layers of cheese. Flavor allllllll over the place!Repeat the folding process five more times and give it one extra, cheese-less fold to lock everything in—this is to ensure that there isn’t any exposed cheese left to burn during baking. Let the dough chill for an hour, or even a couple of days. Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws When you’re ready to bake, slice it into long, thin strips. Brush them with egg wash and give them a twist before laying them on parchment-lined baking sheets.Bake the cheese straws for ten minutes before flipping them over and letting them go for another two minutes. Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws Aren’t they stunning?And talk about delicious—layer upon layer of rosemary-speckled pastry and Parmesan.Yes.

Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws
makes 27-28 straws

1 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
5 ounces unsalted European-style butter, very cold, cut into cubes
1/4 cup water or milk, very cold
4 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon water

Make the pastry. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and rosemary. Use a pastry blender or two forks to cut butter into dry ingredients until the largest pieces are the size of small peas. Pour in cold water or milk and stir with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.

Flour a surface and a rolling pin. Turn dough out onto surface, and use your hands to pat it into a rough rectangle. Roll the dough into an 8×10″ rectangle. Top with 1/6 of the grated Parmesan (about 2-3 tablespoons). Fold dough in thirds (like a letter), and give it one quarter turn. Roll into an 8×10″ rectangle again, scatter on 1/6 of the Parmesan, fold, and turn. Repeat rolling, scattering, folding, and turning until it has been done six times total. If anything gets warm or soft during this process, return the dough to the refrigerator for 15 minutes before continuing.

Roll and fold one more time (a 7th time); this is to seal in the last layer of cheese. Wrap folded dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 48 hours.

Preheat oven to 400F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment.

Make egg wash. Combine egg and water in a small bowl. Whisk them together with a fork. Set aside.

Flour a surface and a rolling pin. Unfold dough. Roll dough out to 10×14-inch rectangle. Slice in half width-wise, so that you have 2 10×7-inch pieces. Return one half to the fridge.

Slice the remaining piece of dough into 10×1/2-inch strips. Before separating them, brush them all with egg wash. Working with one at a time, twist strips and lay them 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Keep in mind that they will uncoil a bit during baking. If anything gets warm or soft during this process, return the dough to the refrigerator for 15 minutes before continuing.

Bake straws for 10 minutes or until golden brown on the bottoms and light golden on the tops. Flip them over and bake an additional 2 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven. Let straws cool on pans for 3-5 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely. Repeat slicing, twisting, and baking processes with remaining dough.

Cheese straws are best the day they are made, but may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Do not refrigerate. Rosemary-Parmesan Cheese Straws

Friday Favorites: Pie

4 Replies

I have a few questions for you.

Have you watched Salt Fat Acid Heat yet? If not, get on it. Samin Nosrat is a freaking queen—a great chef, a delight to watch, and a woman who eats unapologetically and asks for seconds. If you are into food and feminism (and I hope you are!), you’re going to love this show.
Do you love or hate Chris Kimball? I’ve been listening to the Milk Street podcast all week and I can’t decide how I feel about him. I mean, it’s not going to keep me from watching his show or making his recipes. He seems a little too…let’s say persnickety…these days.
Have you started planning your Thanksgiving menu yet? The big day is only 27 days away! I’ve got a few new recipes coming your way (appetizers and sides included!), but aside from the turkey, we all know pie is the most important part 🙂 Here are a few holiday favorites from my archives to get you inspired before the biggest food holiday of the year.

Cream Cheese Pie Dough

I started making this Cream Cheese Pie Dough in the spring of 2015 and haven’t looked back since. It’s made with two cold fats, cream cheese and butter, and has a little buttermilk for tenderness. This combination makes for an extra flaky crust—I’ve had friends compare this crust to having a pie wrapped in croissant dough. YUM. Friday Favorites: Pie
Pumpkin Pie

It’s just not Thanksgiving without Pumpkin Pie! My spin on this warmly-spiced classic involves folding whipped egg whites into the usual pumpkin custard. The resulting pie is lighter than most, but every bit as delicious. Friday Favorites: Pie
Chocolate Buttermilk Pie

If you are into soft, rich, dense chocolate things (and who isn’t?!), this is the pie for you. It’s super easy to put together and bakes up like a dream, and it’s so damn chocolaty it’s ridiculous. Put this one on the menu for sure. And vanilla ice cream. You’re going to want vanilla ice cream. Friday Favorites: Pie
Silky Smooth Sweet Potato Pie

This is a pie I didn’t know I wanted. I’ve always been pretty strict about only eating sweet potatoes in savory applications, but I am here to tell you that I was wrong. So, so wrong.

This pie, made with fresh sweet potatoes and just a hint of spice, is a new favorite of mine. I can’t wait to make it again this year. Friday Favorites: Pie
Black Bottom Pear & Almond Pie

This is one of my very favorite recipes on this site 🙂 Made by layering poached pears and homemade almond pastry cream over a puddle of dark chocolate ganache (AKA a “black bottom”), it’s absolutely delicious. This pie takes a little more work than the others on this list, but it is a guaranteed Thanksgiving Day showstopper.

Have you made any of these or any of my other Thanksgiving recipes? Let me know in the comments or on social media! And don’t forget to check back for a few new pies before November 22nd 🙂

Candy Corn Shortbread

2 Replies

Candy Corn Shortbread I don’t like Halloween. There, I said it. I was ambivalent toward it as a kid and I straight-up don’t like it now.

There is a very slight chance I will be in a costume this weekend, but this will depend entirely on the state of the World Series (go Sox!), how social I am feeling, and my willingness to trade my pajamas for a costume. But I’m a childless, baseball-loving introvert who doesn’t drink and loves pajamas, so you do the math.One Halloween-ish thing that I do love? Candy corn. For proof, see here and here. Contoversial opinion, I know, but give me allllllll the overly-sweet, chewy, “made with real honey” candy corn there is! Also, mallow pumpkins. Please.I know not everyone feels the way I do, but I think we can all get behind easy, festive, made-from-scratch treats. Exhibit A: Candy Corn Shortbread! How cute are these cookies, y’all?!This recipe is made from very straightforward six-ingredient dough—literally just a vanilla shortbread with a little honey to reflect its “made with real honey” candy corn inspiration. After mixing (which takes all of five minutes) it’s divided into three sections, like so. Candy Corn Shortbread The smallest is set aside, while the medium piece is dyed yellow and the largest is dyed orange. I like to use gel food coloring here, but did have success testing with liquid.After the dough colors are to your liking, it’s time to assemble it all so that it can be sliced later. This process is really very simple: just shape the yellow portion into a rectangle… Candy Corn Shortbread stack the orange on there…and top it with the white dough. Use your hands to press it into a triangle shape before chilling for a few hours.Then it’s just slicing and baking.Oh, and fawning over how adorable these cookies are. That’s a big part of this process. Don’t forget to text pictures of them to everyone you know 🙂 Candy Corn Shortbread I love how these cookies are imperfect, but are absolutely still recognizable. I’m sure you have better motor skills than I do–maybe you could mold yours to look taller and narrower like the real deal. I like to think mine look authentic because they look a little busted, just like the candy corn I bought last week. Let’s not discuss how long it took to dig through the bag and find all these whole pieces. Anyway…Candy Corn Shortbread are as delicious as they are festive! When they are fresh, they have crisp edges and slightly chewy centers. They’ll soften a bit over time, but they’ll remain sweet, buttery, and totally delectable.I think these could turn even the most Halloween-averse among us. Who knows–maybe I’ll wear a costume after all. Candy Corn Shortbread

Candy Corn Shortbread
makes about 5 dozen

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons mild honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
red, yellow, and/or orange food coloring (preferably gel)*

In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in honey and vanilla, followed by flour and salt.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a circle. Slice in half. Set one half aside. Slice remaining half into one 2/3 portion and one 1/3 portion (see post for a photo).

Set the smallest piece aside; this is for the white tip of the candy corn. Knead yellow food coloring into the medium-sized piece of dough (I used about 1/8 teaspoon yellow gel). Knead orange gel into the largest piece (I used about 1/4 teaspoon orange gel).

Assemble the dough. Line a small baking sheet or cutting board with parchment. Shape yellow dough into a 10x3x1/2-inch rectangle. Place onto the parchment.

Top it with the orange dough I find this easiest to do by dividing the orange dough in half and arranging the two pieces in a straight line over the top of the yellow layer. Use your hands to start shaping the dough so it’s wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, with a flat top instead of a peak.

Top with the white dough. I find this easiest to do by slicing the white dough into four long, thin pieces. Arrange them end-to-end in a straight line on top of the orange layer and then use your hands to mold them together into one long piece. Use your hands to shape the dough so that it’s wide at the bottom and narrow at the peak. The log of dough may lengthen as much as two inches during this process. Cover very loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to three days.

Preheat oven to 300F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Set aside.

Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator. Slice into 1/4-inch slices, placing them at least 2-inches apart on prepared pans. If dough gets too warm, freeze full pans for 5 minutes before baking. Chill dough between batches.

Bake cookies for 8 minutes. Rotate pans top-to-bottom and front-to-back. Bake an additional 7-8 minutes, until no longer wet looking. Shortbread should not turn golden. Let cool on the pans for 7 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely. Repeat slicing and baking processes with remaining dough. Let pans return to room temperature between batches.

Candy Corn Shortbread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for at least a week. They will soften slightly over time.

Note:

I used Americolor Soft Gel Paste Food Color in Egg Yellow and Orange.

Peanut Butter Mousse Cake {Three Year Anniversary!}

4 Replies

E2 Bakes is turning three on Sunday!In years past, I would take this time to go on about the number of posts/recipes I’ve written (332/322, if you care about that sort of thing) and how I had no idea that the blog would go on this long. I have a tendency toward sentimentality and I’m working on reining it in, but I’m not perfect yet…so, um, I’ll be brief. And then we’ll talk about Peanut Butter Mousse Cake.This blog is the thing of which I am proudest. I spend more time and energy working on content for this site than basically anything else, but it has been worth every late night and working weekend. I hope to continue baking and writing here for years to come.I blog because I love it, but it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun without y’all. Thank you for reading, commenting, providing encouragement and feedback, and making my recipes in your own kitchens! Peanut Butter Mousse Cake This community has grown by leaps and bounds over the last year. For those of you who are new around here, welcome! I’m glad you’re here.

For those who have been here since the beginning, thank you for sticking with me. Sorry about all those bad photos in the early days 🙂 As for the future, lot of exciting things are coming in year four! Recipes, of course, but also bigger, better, blog-altering things. I can’t say much now, but know that good things are happening and I’m psyched to share them with you soon ❤ For now though, let’s talk about Peanut Butter Mousse Cake. It’s the peanut butteriest peanut butter cake I’ve ever had. So. freaking. good!It starts with a flourless peanut butter cake. This super-easy cake comes together with just five ingredients, one bowl, and a whisk. It’s rich and dense—since it relies on peanut butter and eggs for texture and structure, it’s like a cross between a cake, cookie, and a blondie. YUM. Peanut Butter Mousse Cake After the cake is baked and cooled, it’s topped with a thick layer of creamy peanut butter mousse. If this recipe looks familiar, that’s because it is—it’s the filling from my No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie 🙂Spread the mousse layer on and chill the cake until everything is firm. Peanut Butter Mousse Cake Top it with a thick layer of whipped cream. Yaaaaaaas.Don’t forget the peanut butter magic shell and honey roasted peanuts.How gorgeous is that?! I love the triple-layered look.And the creamy, dreamy peanut butter flavor.This cake is shockingly simple to make (don’t let the length of the recipe scare you away!) and perfect for nearly any occasion… Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
…including very silly ones like this blog’s anniversary.

Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
makes one 9-inch round cake

Flourless Peanut Butter Cake:
1 cup creamy-style peanut butter (not natural)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Mousse:
3/4 cup heavy cream, very cold
1 cup creamy-style peanut butter (not natural)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
8 ounces full-fat brick-style cream cheese
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Whipped Cream:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, very cold
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

Peanut Butter Magic Shell*:
1/2 cup creamy-style peanut butter (not natural)
1-2 tablespoons confectioners sugar (depending on your sweetness preference)
1 tablespoon coconut oil (preferably refined)
1 teaspoon honey

Garnish:
2 tablespoons honey roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Line with parchment and grease again. Set aside.

Make the flourless peanut butter cake. In a medium-large mixing bowl, whisk together peanut butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Whisk in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Tap full pan on the counter 10 times to release any large air bubbles (there may be a lot).

Bake 25-27 minutes, or until puffy and no longer wet-looking. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack. Run a thin flexible knife around the edge, but do not remove from the pan.

Make the peanut butter mousse. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Do not overwhip. Set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat peanut butter, cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla until combined and fluffy. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream. Working in 2 installments, carefully fold in remaining whipped cream until combined.

Pile the mousse on top of the cooled cake (still in the pan). Spread it into an even layer and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Stick a layer of plastic wrap to the surface of the mousse. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or freeze for 1 hour).

Remove cake from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap. Run a thin, flexible knife dipped in warm water around the edge of the pan before removing the springform.

Make the whipped cream. Combine heavy cream and confectioner’s sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to whip the mixture on low for 30 seconds before whipping on high for 1-2 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.

Pile whipped cream onto the cake before spreading it into an even layer. Use a knife dipped in warm water to smooth the outer edge of the cake. Refrigerate cake (uncovered) while you make the peanut butter magic shell.

In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together peanut butter, 1 or 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar (based on your desired level of sweetness), coconut oil, and honey. Microwave on high in 20 second increments, whisking in between, until mixture is smooth and drizzle-able. Set aside.

Chop all or some of the honey roasted peanuts.

Remove cake from the refrigerator. Pour/drizzle some of the peanut butter magic shell over the top, as desired. Scatter on honey roasted peanuts. Let shell set for a few minutes.

Serve cake immediately or refrigerate. For clean slices, dip the knife in warm water and wipe dry between cuts.

Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for a few days.

Note:

This will make more peanut butter magic shell than you need, but leftovers may be stored indefinitely in the refrigerator. This makes excellent ice cream topping. Reheat before using.

e2 bakes brooklyn

sweets & sass from a baking brooklynite.