Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Gingerbread Pie
Sunday, November 29, 2009
A week or two ago, I posted about how I had always wanted to try baking a pumpkin pie from scratch. With it being the holiday season, I thought it was fitting to invite all of you to join me in a challenge of sorts. I thought maybe some of you might like to bake your pie from scratch too.
I understand that not everybody has the time, or the patience. For some people, pouring a can of pre mixed puree into a frozen pie crust is completely acceptable, and hey- whatever works for you. Some of you may have said "yes! I've always wanted to bake a pie from scratch, I'm doing it!", and then something came up, and it just didn't happen. Thats ok too.
Its never too late to get your pie on.
The day before Thanksgiving, I did it. I looked my baking pumpkin (that I had previously bought from the commissary), straight in the face, and told him to get ready for one heck of a day. I washed him up, cut him in half, and threw him into a hot oven, promising him that by the time the sun went down, he'd emerge a beautiful pie.
And that, is how you do that.
After my pumpkin was all pureed to a creamy orange mush, and I was good and proud of myself (really, I was beaming with domestic rays of sunshine)- It was time to bake my pie.
I had a kinda-sorta idea of the flavors that I wanted to mix, but couldn't find a recipe to match my plan anywhere. So I wrinkled up my forehead, looked awkwardly over my shoulder at my 3 year old, anxiously awaiting her approval for taking on another challenge, and dug both of my hands deep into the spice cabinet. I have failed (totally bombed, burnt, and been defeated) at creating many recipes in my kitchen, so I have to admit, I was scared. I had worked so hard on roasting my pumpkin, and made such a huge mess of the kitchen (I clean up as I go, though), I knew I'd be devastated if my pie turned out horribly. Too bad I had my heart set on a pumpkin gingerbread pie, huh?
Well.
I ended up creating the most beautiful pie in the world. Just like I had promised my nervous baking pumpkin earlier in the day. I try to hold true to my word like that.
So...
The Crust:
-1 bag of gluten free vegan gingersnaps.
-4 tablespoons Earth Balance.
-2 tablespoons soy creamer.
Crush up cookies. Mix with melted Earth Balance and Soy Creamer. Put into greased pie pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
The Pie:
-2 cups of pureed pumpkin.
-3/4 cup soy creamer.
-1 cup sugar.
-2 Tbsp Earth Balance.
-1/2 tsp vanilla.
-1 tsp ginger.
-1/4 tsp nutmeg.
-1 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
-1/4 tsp cream of tartar.
-1/2 tsp baking powder.
-1/4 tsp xanthan gum.
-1/2 tsp salt.
-4 Tbsp tapioca starch.
Combine all of the above ingredients in a blender. Blend it up. A lot. Pour into your pre baked homemade pie crust. Cover the edges of the pie with foil, so that your crust doesn't burn. Bake your pie at 350 degrees, for 90 minutes. Yes, 90.
Do not eat this pie until it has completely cooled. Wait until the next day if you can. I know, its hard, but- trust me?
And if all goes well, you'll have something that looks something similar to...
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Did you bake a pumpkin pie completely from scratch? If you did, thats rad. Seriously, rad. I'm really anxious to see your pies. Please leave the link to your pictures and recipe on the link list below. I won't be surprised if my list looks a little empty, but I hope that as the holiday season continues, y'all will join in on the challenge. Because like I said earlier, its never to late to get your pie on.
I've made a couple of buttons, to display on your blog if you'd like (I've got mine over there on my right sidebar, tee hee).
And link up!
13 comments:
Oh my goodness Tia! This is mouthwateringly gorgeous! Congrats on doing it all from scratch =D.
Your pie looks beautiful! I made pies, but I made an agreement with my husband years ago that I would buy crusts to avoid major temper tantrums. (I have cheated and made some graham cracker style crusts, but not the traditional kind.)
oooh how I miss making my from scratch apple pie that Jeff loved so much... if there ever came a time that I wasnt working full time and would actually HAVE time to make a pie from scratch... he would so get an apple pie... oooh I have Christmas eve off this year... I might have to make him one for Christmas... *dances* Beautiful pie Tia, I forward all your recipes to my dad, cause he is Gluten Free too and is always looking for good recipes!
Your pie looks and sounds amazing. I'm stuck at your first tutorial picture... the pumpkin. I feel like it is sitting there taunting me. I've never cooked a pumpkin. Sounds frightening!
I will have to try this recipe out! I made everything but the desserts from scratch, I left that to my mom, not because I was scared, but because I needed help. Balancing Thanksgiving and a 8 month old is new to me! I am a big believer of making everything from scratch though!
I did! I did! I did! But...I also posted my recipe a little early...I hope thats ok ;) I made mine a little differently than you did, but I know they both came out delicious :D
Thank you Lauren! I feel proud of my beautiful pie, hehe.
Maggie- I feel I can't go wrong with a cookie crumb crust, haha. I don't do "real" crusts either, they always turn out so horrible, and honestly I just don't like how they taste!
Sarah- you should make a pie on Christmas Eve! That sounds sweet. And thats so cute that you forward the recipes to your dad. Do you know if hes made any of them? I hope he tries the pie, hehe, its seriously THE BEST.
Marisa- Cooking the pumpkin actually wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. The hardest part was sawing the dang thing in half, haha. And then yeah, there was a little bit of a mess to clean up afterwards. Its a lot more complicated than cracking open a can, but I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to pre packed puree now that I've had the fresh real thing. SO GOOD.
Sarah, please let me know if you try this recipe!! That would be fantastic! Making things from complete scratch, don't they just taste SO much better??
I chumped out this year for my first ever pumpkin pie...I bought the Libby pumpkin pie mix where you only have to add egg and evaporated milk...and I bought the Pillsbury premade pie dough. The pie looked great...tasted...well, not bad (I used Egg Beaters and the consistency wasn't great) and since I'm the only one in the house who likes pumpkin pie...I ate 3 pieces (not on the same day, thanks!) and trashed the rest...since I have 5.5 lbs to lose by the end of December!!
Fantastic job!! I just love all the pics with instructions. :) MMmmmmmmMMMMMmmmmm
Looks scrumptious!
I also meant to tell you that I love your photos and the word graphics that you incorporate with them. So cool. You're very creative.
I actually have made one from scratch before a few years ago. It was a lot of work, but was seriously the best thing I have ever tasted in my life!! :) good for you mama...I'm sure everyone loved it!
When I first moved to New Zealand and suddenly Thanksgiving was around the corner: and I was home sick! I thought I should make Thanksgiving dinner: which I had never done before. And of course here they don't have the same ingredients like the pumpkin in a can that my family always used. So I had to make mine from scratch too. Now I'm like a pumpkin pie God to people who don't make theirs from scratch! It really tastes better from scratch! Thanks for sharing the Gluten free recipe! I'm thinking that might be the future for me.
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