Here’s what you need to know about today’s post:
- It’s late because, well, I had to bake a pie! (Oh, okay, I baked a cheesecake but it was in a pie cookbook!)
- You will get a book review.
- You will get a pie recipe.
- You can enter for a chance to win your own copy of the cookbook!
***
Baking pies isn’t my thing (but it’s my cousin-in-law Emily’s thing, check out Pie Eyed), mostly because it makes me nervous and it’s completely outside of my comfort zone. But as soon as I opened up my review copy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero’s latest cookbook, Vegan Pie in the Sky, that all changed.
Perhaps it’s because the book is so cute–it’s small, colorful and playful.
Perhaps it was because I read this in the introduction and immediately felt at ease:
…we feel that anyone should be able to bake a pie whenever the situation calls for it, no matter what their level of experience
and
Learn how to make a pie and really take your time to enjoy doing it; it’s as calming as a yoga class or a day at the beach.
Perhaps, quite simply, it’s the book. It’s incredibly thorough and entirely accessible.
I did kitchen yoga this morning. I baked a cheesecake for the first time in my life. I’m going to share pictures of that pie — and the recipe (thank you, publishers!)– shortly. First, let me tell you about Vegan Pie in the Sky
Part One: The basics: essential pie ingredients, pie-making equipment, types of pies and how to make great homemade pie crust. Isa and Terry share valuable information on types of “creamy things”, flours and starches, sweeteners and staples. I found the section on pans very helpful and couldn’t believe that when I decided to make a cheesecake I needed a springform pan. Actually, what I couldn’t believe is that I had one. (I bought one after a raw cooking class and never, ever used it.) As a result of reading this book I finally checked the accuracy of my oven’s temperature.
Turns out that 350 really is 350 but it took much longer than 15 minutes pre-heating for it to balance out to 350. Good to know! The tips on working with fat, rolling, chilling, pie edges and pie tops are informative and easy to understand.
Part Two: The recipes! This part is broken out into six sections: pie crusts, fruit pies, creamy pies, harvest pies, chocolate pies (woot!) and “a few toppings”. Folks, they cover everything in this book! From buttery, puffy, shortbread tart and graham cracker crusts to cherry, basil peach, key lime, maple pecan, Boston creme cake and Manhattan mud pies. Can you stand it? And the toppings! Rad Whip, Sweet Coconut Cream, Macadamia Creme and Chocolate Drizzle.
Finally the addition of metric versions is terrific because as a non-metric thinking gal (I blame my U.S. public school–no, I blame me) who has discovered some terrific non-U.S. based blogs via Vegan MoFo, this has already come in handy.
Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero have packed tips, techniques and fantastic recipes into 223 pages– all with their trademark sense of humor:
Alas, just as love shouldn’t be complicated, neither should cashews, but somehow they both manage to be!
You’ll want to add this cookbook to your collection. One lucky reader will get to add it to their collection soon … because the publisher offered to give one away! But first, my very first home-baked cheesecake!
Blueberry Bliss Cheesecake (p. 95)
From the book Vegan Pie in the Sky by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright © 2011. www.dacapopresscookbooks.com
THE CRUST
- 1 and 3/4 cups finely ground graham crackers (made from 10 ounces of whole graham crackers)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons melted nonhydrogenated margarine, melted coconut oil, or canola oil
- 1 tablespoons plain soy milk or almond milk
- Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a mixing blow, combine the graham crumbs and sugar. Drizzle in the oil or melted margarine. Use a spoon to blend the mixture thoroughly to moisten the crumbs, the drizzle in the soy milk and stir again to form a crumbly dough.
- Pour the crumbs into the pie plate. Press crumbs into the sides of the plate first, then work your way down to the bottom. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
THE PIE
Filling
- 1/2 cup whole raw cashews, soaked in water for 2 to 8 hours or until very soft
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1/3 cup mashed banana (about 1 medium-size banana)
- 1 (12 – 14 ounce) package silken tofu, drained
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Keep the oven on 350F after preparing the graham cracker crust.
- Prepare the filling: Drain the cashews and pour into a food processor or blender. Add the blueberries, banana, tofu, sugar, coconut oil, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Puree until very smooth; this could take up to 5 minutes depending on your blender. Pour the filling into the pan.
- Bake the cheesecake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the top is lightly puffed and the edges of cake are pulling away from the pan. Remove it from the oven and let cool on a rack. In the meantime, prepare the topping.
- Combine all the topping ingredients in a small saucepan. Stirring often, bring the mixture to a boil, so that the blueberries burst. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 more minutes. Remove the topping from the heat and pour it over the cheesecake.
- Let the cake cool until it’s okay to handle, about 30 minutes, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place it in the fridge to set for about 2 hours.
- Once completely set, release the springform and slice the cake with a sharp knife dipped in cold water.
I was so thrilled with how the cheesecake came out! Perfection!
Oh.
My.
If I can make this delicious cheesecake, a Curried Macaroon Pie (p. 160) can’t be far behind! Thank you Isa and Terry for helping me along in my pie baking journey!
Now for what you’ve been waiting for! A giveaway!
This is my third and final VeganMoFo giveaway. It’s easy. Leave one comment below and say anything you want about pie. What’s your favorite? What pie do you want to veganize? Do you love baking pies or fear it? Anything!
I will select one lucky winner (open to anyone in the U.S. and Canada) and am accepting entries until the end of VeganMoFo (Monday, October 31, 11:59 p.m. EST). Thank you, Da Capa Lifelong, for sponsoring the giveaway!
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