mostly raw • 1 pie; 8 to 10 servings
NOT GONNA LIE, banana cream pie was never my first choice at a pie shop. My only reference to the dessert was nerds getting pied in the face in front of their lockers on ’90s teen sitcoms. But once I started experimenting with banana cream pie, I realized that it’s a dreamy combination of tasty things: a crispy crust, sweet banana filling, dates blended into a perfectly smooth caramel, and creamy coconut whip on top.
Active time: 2 hours
Inactive time: 5 hours or 12 hours
For the crust:
3 cups raw cashews
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon salt
For the salted caramel:
2 cups pitted Medjool dates, soaked for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour
⅓ cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the banana filling:
4 frozen bananas
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt
For the coconut whipped cream:
2 (13.5-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk (no additives or guar gum), chilled in the cans overnight
1. Make the crust: Put the cashews in a food processor and process for about 10 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and process again, but keep the mixture somewhat chunky.
2. Press the mixture into a 8-inch springform tart pan, making sure to reinforce the sides so they don’t break, and dehydrate overnight or bake in the oven at its lowest temperature for 3 to 4 hours or until firm to the touch. (Alternatively, place the crust in the freezer for about 1 hour so that it can firm up—just beware that it’ll soften when you bring it back to room temp.)
3. Make the salted caramel: Soak the dates for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour, then put in a blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
4. Spread the salted caramel in a thick layer on top of the dehydrated or frozen crust.
5. Make the banana filling: In the food processor, blend all the ingredients, then pour the filling on top of the caramel layer and place in the freezer for 20 minutes to set up.
6. Meanwhile, whip up your coconut cream: Take the cans of coconut milk out of the fridge, flip them over, open with a can opener, and pour out any liquid. You can save this liquid and add to smoothies. What you really want is the solid part. Add the solid coconut milk to a bowl and whisk by hand or with a hand mixer to create whipped cream.
7. Spread the whipped coconut cream on top of the frozen banana layer and return to the freezer for another 20 minutes to set up. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.
