No self-respecting vegan could hold her head up if she didn’t offer a recipe for chocolate creme pie – and the reason is – it’s just so damn good and easy, that to withhold the knowledge of how to make it would be downright criminal. Thus, I offer my humble rendition of this classic pie, which includes an ingenious, nearly fat-free (and easy) crust. And because I know right after the first bite you’re going to ask some questions, here are the answers:
- Yes, that’s tofu.
- No, there isn’t a drop of eggs or milk in it.
- Indeed, it is low in calories and low in fat (compared to the dairy version), but no, it’s can’t be considered health food.
- I have no idea why you haven’t tried it before.
Chocolate Creme Pie
Serves 6-8
1 12 oz. package silken tofu (I used firm, light)
2 cups vegan, grain-sweetened semi-sweet chocolate chips (Sunspire chips fit the bill here)
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Crust
1 cup Grape-Nuts cereal (not flakes)
2 tbsp. flaxseed meal + 6 tbsp. water (whisk together and let sit for a few minutes)
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate
Preheat the oven to 350F. Make the crust: stir together all of the ingredients and pat into a 9″ pie plate. It takes some patience, but you’ll be able to push some of the crust along the sides. When the oven is ready, pop in the pie pan and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and toasty. You’ll smell it and it will smell good. Allow to cool while you put together the creme part.
In a double-boiler (or if you are more attentive than I am, in the microwave) melt the chocolate chips. Place the tofu, milk and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor and whirl until it’s smooth and creamy. When the chocolate is melted, add it to the tofu mixture and whirl again until everything is smooth and is a deep delicious color. Spoon the tofu mixture into the crust and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving.
I serve mine with a huge, steaming cup of hot chocolate-mocha (stay tuned for the recipe), but a tall, cold glass of soy or almond milk would be welcome as well. You could garnish it with fruit or with a smattering of chocolate shavings.
Inspiration for the Grape-Nuts crust comes from Fat-Free & Easy by Jennifer Raymond. I added flaxseed meal to her simple recipe to help hold the crust together – works pretty well, I must say. The chocolate creme pie part comes from the fantastic vegan baking book, The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. I added the cinnamon and omitted the peanut butter.
