Usually people assume that vegan and/or gluten-free baking is more difficult than regular baking, and occasionally it can be a challenge, but this is where pastry shines. It becomes easier, if not effortless, to make delicious vegan and gluten-free delights. In traditional pastry, you need to have a light touch so that you don’t massage the gluten too much, making the dough tough. With our pastry, you can work it as many times as you like and it will still come out flawless. I know it’s obvious to say that it’s as easy as pie, but in this case it really is! We’ve provided you with a bunch of tried-and-true pie recipes, with a few tarts, a crumble, and even something called a grunt thrown in, but feel free to use our pastry recipes to make any and all of your pie desires a reality.
Makes enough for one 9-inch single pie shell
This is the good stuff! We are constantly being asked what our pastry secret is, and now the cat’s out of the bag. It’s officially your recipe too! Use this sweet pastry to make shells for tarts and fruity hand pies, or double the recipe and make a towering apple pie (page 173). The only thing you’ll want to avoid is over-flouring the dough if you’re rolling it out a few times, as this will dry it up, making it harder to work with and a little less tasty.
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill garbanzo and fava flour
⅓ cup arrowroot starch
1 tablespoon organic sugar
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (1 stick), temperature depends on method used
½ cup Earth Balance Shortening Sticks (1 stick), temperature depends on method used
½ cup cold water
To prepare in a food processor:
In a food processor, combine both flours with the arrowroot starch, sugar, xanthan gum, cinnamon, and salt and pulse a few times to combine.
Cut cold butter and shortening into 2-inch cubes. Add to the flour mixture one cube at a time as you continue to pulse the processor, until the chunks are no longer visible and the mixture takes on a sandy consistency.
Add the water a splash at a time, continuing to pulse the processor. Once all the water is added, process until everything is combined.
Using a spatula, remove the dough from the processor. Divide it in half (for quicker chilling) and, using your hands, flatten each portion into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight, before using.
To prepare by hand or with a hand mixer:
Bring the butter and shortening to room temperature. In a bowl, cream together the butter and shortening using a potato masher, fork, or hand mixer. In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, mixing with your hands or a fork. Add the cold water a splash at a time until everything is combined.
Divide the dough in half (for quicker chilling), flatten into discs, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 90 minutes, and up to overnight, before using.
Makes one 9-inch pie
Everyone likes apple pie. Sweet baked cinnamon apple, flaky crust, buttery filling … I knew that Bunner’s apple pie had a longstanding tradition to live up to, and this recipe can stand crust to crust with the very best.
I like to use Honeycrisp apples because they’re firm, tart, and sweet—critical for a great apple pie. That said, you could use any of your favourite pie-making apples. Granny Smith and Pink Lady work well too. Whichever variety you use, I highly recommend organic apples. Apples are one of the heaviest-sprayed fruit crops (along with other soft-skinned fruit like berries and peaches), but you can easily avoid all those harsh chemicals and get the full nutritional benefit of this healthy fruit. Organic apples straight-up taste better, too.
2 batches sweet pastry (page 171)
½ cup Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (1 stick)
3 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill garbanzo and fava flour
½ cup organic sugar
½ cup Sucanat
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick
Non-dairy milk, for brushing
Prepare the pastry and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Combine the two discs of one batch and, on a well-floured surface, roll out to a circle about ¼ inch thick and 10 inches in diameter. Transfer to a 9-inch glass pie plate by gently rolling the dough around the rolling pin like a jelly roll, then unrolling it onto the pie plate and lightly pressing it down. If working in a hot or humid environment, refrigerate the pie shell while preparing the apple filling.
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour to create a roux. Increase the heat to medium-high, whisking the mixture constantly. When the mixture begins to bubble, whisk in the sugar and Sucanat until fully dissolved, then whisk in the cinnamon.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the apples to the butter mixture in handfuls, stirring to fully coat with the butter. Stir for about 8 to 10 minutes, then pour the apple mixture into the pie shell.
On a well-floured surface, roll out the remaining dough to make a second circle the same size. Using the same method as with the shell, gently place on top of the filling. Trim the overhang and crimp the pastry edges with your fingers or a fork to seal. Slice a few decorative air vents into the top to let out the steam. Lightly brush the pie top with non-dairy milk and sprinkle generously with sugar for a sweet and glossy finish.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes on the middle oven rack, until the crust is a medium golden brown. Check after 30 minutes. If the top is already a bit too brown, cover with foil; otherwise leave uncovered for the remaining baking time.
Served either warm or cool, this apple pie is especially delicious à la mode with vanilla coconut ice cream.
Makes one 9-inch pie
There’s nothing more satisfying than biting into a ripe juicy organic peach, which is why peach season is one of my favourite times of the year. Peach pies, peach tarts, peach muffins … The window is small, so I try to eat as many peaches and peachy treats as I possibly can, to make up for the off-season peach withdrawal.
Not only is this pie a simply delicious combination of sweet and tart, wrapped in a flaky crust, but it looks particularly beautiful once baked, boasting a golden lattice top with the colourful contrast of the peaches and blackberries peeking through.
TIP: If you want to make a straight-up peach pie, simply up the peaches by 2 cups, for a total of 8 cups, and leave out the blackberries.
2 batches sweet pastry (page 171)
6 cups sliced unpeeled peaches (about 8)
2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
½ cup organic sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, cubed
Non-dairy milk, for brushing
Prepare the pastry and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Combine the two discs of one batch and, on a well-floured surface, roll out to a circle about ¼ inch thick and 10 inches in diameter. Transfer by gently rolling the dough around the rolling pin like a jelly roll, then unrolling it onto a 9-inch glass pie plate and lightly pressing it down. Trim the overhang and crimp the pastry edges with your fingers or a fork to seal. If working in a hot or humid environment, refrigerate the pie shell while preparing the filling.
In a large bowl, combine the peaches, blackberries, sugar, arrowroot starch, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Using your hands, mix the ingredients to evenly coat the fruit. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and stud the top with the butter.
On a well-floured surface, roll out the remaining dough to make a second circle the same size. To create a lattice top, cut the dough into eight 1-inch-thick strips. Lay 4 strips horizontally across the pie, then 4 vertically over top, or weave together. Trim the overhang and crimp the pastry edges with your fingers or a fork to seal. Lightly brush the pie top with non-dairy milk and sprinkle generously with sugar for a sweet and glossy finish.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes on the middle oven rack, until the crust is a medium golden brown. Check the pie after 25 minutes; if the top is already a bit too brown, cover with foil for the remaining baking time.
Makes 8 pies
A hand pie is one of my favourite types of pie because it’s so portable and also very cute. At the bakery, we have savoury hand pies, but we call them pockets, and to know them is to love them. These sweet blueberry hand pies would be a welcome addition to any potluck or picnic. Make sure to line the baking sheet with parchment paper—not only can the hand pies get a bit messy as the fruit juices bubble up while baking, but the parchment will keep them from overbrowning on the bottom.
1 batch sweet pastry (page 171)
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon organic sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tablespoons orange juice or water
1½ tablespoons arrowroot starch
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Non-dairy milk, for brushing
Prepare the pastry and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, orange juice, arrowroot starch, cinnamon, and salt. Add the blueberries, mixing with a spatula or your hands to fully coat the berries.
Divide the dough into eight equal balls. On a floured surface, roll out one ball into a rectangle about 5 × 7 inches and ¼ inch thick. Scoop ¼ cup filling into the centre of the pastry, and fold the pastry over top like a little blanket. Crimp the pastry tightly around the blueberries and trim the excess dough. Using a spatula, gently transfer the hand pie to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough and filling.
Slice a couple of decorative air vents into the top to let out the steam.
Lightly brush the pie tops with non-dairy milk and sprinkle with a bit of sugar for a sweet and glossy finish.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes on the middle oven rack, until golden. Let cool for about 30 minutes before serving.
If you’re especially ambitious, drizzle with the lemony glaze used for the Lemon Blackberry Scones (page 33).
Makes one 9-inch pie
Angela, my roommate in university and one of my best friends on the planet, really loves coconut. She told me this story once about how she was talking to a really hot guy at a bar, and when he asked her what kinds of stuff she liked, all she could squeak out was “Coconut!” Ange is a world traveller these days, but next time she comes home, I’ll be using this pie to coerce her to stay a little longer.
TIP: If you will be piping on the whipped cream, or you just want really high fluffy mounds of it, I suggest doubling the amount of whipped cream called for in this recipe—so make 4 batches!
1 batch sweet pastry (page 171)
2 batches coconut whipped cream (page 245)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup firm silken tofu
3 cups canned coconut milk
⅔ cup organic sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup arrowroot starch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Prepare the pastry and whipped cream and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Spread the coconut on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until fragrant and golden. Let sit.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Combine the two discs and, on a well-floured surface, roll out to a circle about ¼ inch thick and 12 inches in diameter. This will allow room to crimp the edges. Transfer by gently rolling the dough around the rolling pin like a jelly roll, then unrolling it onto a 9-inch glass pie plate and lightly pressing it down. Trim the overhang and crimp the pastry edges with your fingers or a fork to seal. Using a fork, prick the bottom about a dozen times and evenly distribute pie weights or dried beans in the pie shell. Bake for 20 minutes on the middle oven rack, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven, remove pie weights and let sit.
In a food processor, process the tofu until smooth and creamy. Add 2 cups coconut milk and the sugar and salt. Process until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup coconut milk and arrowroot starch to create a slurry.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the tofu mixture to a gentle boil. Whisk in the slurry, continuing to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and ¾ cup toasted coconut.
Pour the mixture into the pie shell and refrigerate for about 4 hours, and up to overnight. Once firmed up, spread or pipe the whipped cream over top and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup toasted coconut. Keep cool until ready to serve.
Makes 12 tarts
Not too many people realize that butter tarts are a Canadian-only classic, eh? Falling into the same category as ketchup chips and Caesars, they’re a secret we’re happy to keep from the rest of the world if that means there’s more for us. If somehow you’re unfamiliar with them, they are a flaky little tart with a sticky-sweet, buttery filling that sometimes has raisins and sometimes doesn’t. At the bakery, we prefer to use raisins to give it a little extra bite, but you can also substitute walnuts for raisins if you don’t have to worry about a nut allergy.
1 batch sweet pastry (page 171)
¾ cup to 1 cup Thompson raisins
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
¼ cup Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (A stick)
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon Sucanat
½ cup organic sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Prepare the pastry and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with canola oil.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Combine the two discs and, on a well-floured surface, roll out to about ¼ inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut as many circles as you can. Reroll the dough scraps and cut more circles, until you have 12 circles of dough. Ease a pastry circle into each prepared muffin cup. Drop about 1 tablespoon raisins into each cup and set aside. If the kitchen is hot or humid, place the muffin pan in the refrigerator until the filling is ready.
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk and arrowroot starch to create a slurry.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the Sucanat and sugar, whisking constantly. When completely melted, add the slurry and bring to a gentle boil, continuing to whisk until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Transfer the hot mixture to a heatproof measuring cup. Carefully pour the liquid into the muffin cups to about three-quarters full; don’t overfill.
Bake for 20 minutes on the middle oven rack. Remove from the oven and let sit for 1 hour. Using a butter knife, lift the tarts from the muffin pan and transfer to a resealable container to store in the refrigerator, or to a plate to serve.
Makes 12 tarts
Lemony desserts serve well all year round: light and breezy for spring and summer, but so in season during the citrus-producing winter months as well. Lemon curd is generally full of egg, so our vegan version has the added bonus of cutting out all the cholesterol from this dessert as well—yippee! Paired with your favourite berries and a spoonful of whipped cream, these tarts will really sing.
1 batch sweet pastry (page 171)
2 batches lemon curd (page 243)
1 cup fresh berries (any combination of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries), plus extra for garnish
1 batch coconut whipped cream (page 245) (optional)
Prepare the pastry and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with canola spray or, if you like, prepare small tartlet tins.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Combine the two discs and, on a well-floured surface, roll out to about ¼ inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut as many circles as you can. Reroll the dough scraps and cut more circles, until you have 12 circles of dough. Ease a pastry circle into each prepared muffin cup and prick the bottom of each tart a couple of times with a fork.
Bake the tart shells for 14 to 16 minutes on the middle oven rack, until golden brown (but not too toasty). Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Spoon in the lemon curd, filling the tart shells to just below the edge. Garnish each tart with a dollop of whipped cream (if using) and a few berries.
Serves 4 to 6
Blueberry grunt is guaranteed to make you happy—the name alone will make you giggle. Its silly moniker dates back to the early settlers in the Maritimes who named this delicious mixture of blueberries and biscuit-like clouds of dough after the sound the berries made while they simmered in the pot … grunt, grunt, grunt!
Now, “down home” in Cape Breton, where Kev’s family hails from, mom might ask the kids, “Jeet?” (translation: Did you eat?) and they might reply, “No, jou?” (No, did you?). And if the kids were keeping sweet that day, she just might lay out a pot of blueberry grunt, to which they might excitedly say, “Gway wit ya!” (No way, really!).
Grunts belong to the cobbler, crumble, crisp, and buckle family—a family sometimes so indistinguishable that it feels like you need a PhD to distinguish between them: which one has oats and which does not, which is baked with the crust on the bottom and which on the top. Rest assured, this grunt is quite possibly the simplest dessert in the entire book. Absolutely perfect for a casual weekday dessert treat, maybe not as fancy as you need when the in-laws are in town. Delicious served hot right out of the pot with a nice scoop of coconut ice cream melting on top.
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (preferably wild)
½ cup + 1 tablespoon organic sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, chilled
⅔ cup soy or coconut milk beverage
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the blueberries, ½ cup sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Cut in the chilled butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture takes on a sandy consistency. Add the milk and vanilla and mix with a wooden spoon or fork until a soft dough is formed.
Using your hands, loosely form 2½-inch-wide biscuit shapes out of the dough and drop these onto the blueberry sauce, spacing them as evenly as possible so that they cover as much of the sauce’s surface as possible. Cover the pot and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. After 15 minutes, take a peek inside—the biscuits should be a toasty light brown on top. If they aren’t, replace the lid and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes before checking again.
Serve hot, dished into bowls with a nice scoop of coconut vanilla ice cream.
