This vegan pear pie recipe is a custard dessert that offers decadent taste and texture but with the guilt-free goodness of animal and body-friendly ingredients. You won’t regret it!
Let’s be real. Our appetite for pie is a year-long reality that we all need to address. If you’re anything like me, you’re still getting over a Thanksgiving/Christmas-induced apple pie coma. So, why not turn to pears? They are among the highest fiber-containing fruits out there and match apple’s excellence in adorning a pie.
Vegan Pear Pie Recipe
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 cups pecans (raw)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Earth Balance butter
- 1 can BPA-free coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- ⅓ cup sugar (or a low-glycemic substitute)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 Bartlet pears
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slice the pears in half. Remove the seeds and stems and then slice the halves thinly – about 1/4-inch thick – along their lengths. Place into a bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Set aside.
Pulse the oats in a food processor until they reach a fine flour-like consistency. Add the pecans and process until the mixture begins to clump. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter with the maple syrup. Immediately fold into the crust mixture along with the other spices. Form the crust in the bottom and edges of a greased glass pie dish. Poke the crust with a fork to allow steam to escape while the pie cooks. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
While the pie crust bakes, prepare the custard. Add the coconut milk to a saucepan over medium heat with about 1/4 cup of the water. Add the vanilla and sugar and stir.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remainder of the water, arrowroot powder, and turmeric. Whisk until all is dissolved. Pour this mixture into the heating coconut milk while stirring. The mixture will thicken considerably. Reduce heat a medium-low and continue to stir for about 10 more minutes, until the texture is thick and lump-free. The thicker the better.
Pour the custard into the baked pie crust. Smooth with a spatula.
Arrange the pear slices fat on top of the crust in a decorative fashion. Place the pie into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pears are lightly browned and caramelized.
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Pear pie image via Shutterstock