Gluten Free & Vegan French Silk Pie
This recipe is a special one. This one goes out to my husband who helped me to create this amazing pie. He’s always told me how he loved eating French silk pie growing up in Chicago, especially around the holiday’s. Even to the point that, he still talks about it. Recently we were talking about new recipes, and he mentioned that ever since he started eating 100% plant based, he hasn’t had a vegan French silk pie! I made it a mission to change that.
Everything about this pie makes me hungry. The whipped coconut cream is light and fluffy, the dark chocolate filling is smooth and decedent, and the crust is sweet and soft. All three layers look just like the classic pie from our childhood, but what’s inside is very different.
Instead of butter and cream, we used tofu, avocado, and cashew butter. This helped keep the same textures, but with a healthy and simple swap. Pair that with the coconut whipped cream and sliced chocolate slivers, you’ll have trouble trying to not eat it all at once. The whipped cream is made with a base of aquafaba which is the juice from inside of a can of garbanzo beans. This liquid is the perfect for creating an egg substitute and to be used in a variety of recipes. In this dish, it really helps create a really fluffy texture in the whipped cream.
Made with clean, healthy ingredients, you can share pleasure and healthy foods together. And lets be real…… any excuse to eat more chocolate is always a good thing!
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Makes a 9” pie:
The Goods:
For the crust:
Use this gluten free vegan pie crust recipe here
Or buy a 9" pie crust
For the inside chocolate filling:
1 block tofu, drained
1 large avocado, deseeded
1/4 cup cashew butter
3/4 cup Big Tree Farms coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup melted chocolate (1 cup chocolate chips + 1 tbsp coconut oil)
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup cashew milk or plant milk of choice
For the whipped coconut cream:
aquafaba liquid, (All the liquid from inside a can garbanzo beans) (save beans for later)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 can coconut cream, only the coconut meat on the top, (chilled overnight or cold) (not frozen)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
For the garnish:
1 vegan chocolate bar, sliced into small shaving or slivers
The Method:
If making a baked pie using my gluten free vegan pie crust recipe like a baked apple pie, move ahead with the instructions and bake the crust with the pie. If making a cold pie like a French silk, cook for 25 minutes and let cool completely before filling. If using a store bought crust, follow the instructions before making this French silk pie.
Once the crust is ready, melt your chocolate for the inside filling. In a small double boiler or using two stainless steel pans, melt the cup of chocolate chips on low heat while stirring frequently to prevent burning. Once the chocolate is melted, set aside.
Quickly, toss all your chocolate filling ingredients into the blender except the melted chocolate. Blend on high for 30-60 seconds or until you get a smooth consistency. Now add your melted chocolate, and blend on high for 15-20 seconds to get everything fully mixed. Taste for sweetness.
Pour your mixture from the blender into the center of the pie crust. With a rubber spatula, smoothen out the filling until you have it flat and evenly uniform. Cover with an airtight lid and chill/refrigerate for 3+ hours for the chocolate filling to set. Chill overnight for best results.
After the filling as set, grab a medium mixing bowl and add your aqua faba into it. With a electric whisk or in a kitchen aid mixer, whisk the aquafaba for 1 minute and then add your lemon juice. This can be done by hadn't but it takes a lot of effort. Now whisk for 4-6 minutes or until it starts become its own whipped foam on its own. Once you have a beautiful and clean white foam. Set aside.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, add your coconut meat from the top of the chilled coconut cream can, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and whisk for 1-2 minutes by hand into a thick whipped cream. Be sure to get the big chunks out and to a somewhat smooth thick consistency.
Slowly add in 1/4 of the whipped aquafaba foam into the whipped cream while folding it into itself. Start with about 1/2 the foam, and keep adding until you get a light fluffy texture of your desired liking. Less foam > thicker whipped cream. More foam> fluffier whipped cream. Depending on how much aquafaba you had from your beans, you may have some extra excess foam leftover. Discard extra foam.
Grab your pie that’s fully set, from the refrigerator, and with a spatula pour the whipped cream over the top of the chocolate filling. Be as creative or simple as you choose. It’s your pie!
Garish with small chocolate shavings from your favorite vegan chocolate bar over the top of the whipped cream.
You can enjoy immediately, but I prefer to allow it to set in the fridge for 3+ hours. Enjoy with friends and family at your next holiday adventure. No one will ever know it’s completely vegan and gluten free! Enjoy!
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