I’m preparing to host my very first Easter dinner tomorrow – a totally plant-based menu with all the fixins! Go big or go home, I say. Usually we go to my in-laws for Easter, but this year my sister-in-law had to stay close to home for an event so we offered to host. I’m making a ridiculous amount of food including many recipes from my next cookbook. So pumped. I just need to scrounge together enough chairs and pray that we all fit at our table! Ok, that is definitely not happening…but what would a big family get together be without a kids table?!
Cooking has been more fun than usual these days because I have an audience now – a 6 1/2 month old baby who loves to watch her mama in the kitchen! Adriana is very curious as to what I’m doing in there all the time and she smiles at me from the table and even laughs at all the right moments, such as when I bust out Twinkle Twinkle Little Star complete with a made up dance routine. I’m now a cook/entertainer all at once. What an ego boost, let me tell you. Did I mention I burned two desserts last weekend? I can’t imagine why…
This pie, however, came together without a hitch. Sa-weet. If you’re like me, you might even find you have all the ingredients on hand which makes me want to cry happy tears because I didn’t need one more grocery trip on a holiday weekend. Or should I say Eric doesn’t need one more grocery trip on a holiday weekend…bahaha. I don’t know about you, but when I realize that I have all the ingredients for a recipe I’m like that Ikea commercial, only instead of running to the car I’m running to my kitchen… START THE OVEN, START THE OVEN!
I’m not weird, not weird at all.
Last year I had the opportunity to preview Sarah Britton’s debut cookbook, My New Roots: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes for Every Season, based on her beautiful whole foods recipe blog. I’ve long admired Sarah’s unbridled enthusiasm for plant-based food; in fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever come across someone who is so passionate about vegetables, not to mention, knowledgeable about how they impact our health.
This cookbook is gorgeous with beautiful food photography and interior design (I’m a bit of a cookbook nerd these days, often gushing over paper stock of all things). There are 100 creative vegetarian recipes with many vegan options. Some of the ingredients are a bit uncommon or difficult to find, but I expect if you have a solid farmer’s market and health food store handy you’ll be able to find many of the ingredients in the right season. Just in case you aren’t sure which ingredients are in season, the cookbook is conveniently divided into 5 sections by season (spring, early summer, late summer, autumn, and winter). I love that summer is divided into two seasons; it totally makes sense because there’s so much coming into season over the summer months. One thing’s for sure, Sarah’s recipes will help you bust out of a cooking rut and get adventurous in the kitchen.
Here is a sample of recipes from My New Roots:
- Buckwheat Crepes with Creamy Purple String Bean Slaw
- Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Dip
- Shaved Turnip and Radish Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
- Oyster Mushroom Bisque
- Apricot Rhubarb Clafoutis
- Caramelized Fennel on Herbed Polenta
- Roasted Cauliflower with Lebanese Lentils and Kaniwa
- Trippy Tie-Dye Soup
- Butternut Stacks with Kale Pesto, Kasha, and Butter Beans
Today, I’m excited to share this dreamy Banoffee Pie recipe from her new cookbook. I’ll be serving it tomorrow along with a few other desserts. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (yes, I had to eat a slice before serving it tomorrow…don’t judge). I’m predicting it won’t last long because who on earth can resist the combo of coconut whipped cream, banana, oats, and date caramel? Anyone?
Banoffee Pie
Yield
12 small slices
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This Banoffee Pie is decadent while still feeling super light and healthy. The almond-oat crust is layered with sticky date caramel, sweet banana coins, luxurious whipped coconut cream, and shaved dark chocolate, for a pie that's sure to impress. This recipe is adapted from My New Roots: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes for Every Season. Copyright © 2015 by Sarah Britton. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup (78 g) raw almonds
- 2 cups (200 g) gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) virgin coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (23 mL) water, or as needed
For the Raw Caramel Toffee:
- 1 1/2 cups (340 g) pitted Medjool dates
- 3 tablespoons (45 mL) smooth almond butter
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 vanilla bean, seeded, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder (optional)
For the filling:
- 2 (14-ounce/398 mL) cans full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight*
- Raw Caramel Toffee (from above)
- 3 large (600 g) ripe bananas, sliced into thick “coins”
- 2 squares (6 g) dark chocolate, shaved
Directions
- Place 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight (or for at least 12 hours) to allow the coconut cream to solidify.
- For the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grab an 8- to 10-inch tart pan (I use a 9-inch) and lightly grease the base and sides with coconut oil. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit on the bottom and place it inside. This will prevent the crust from sticking.
- Add the almonds into a food processor and process until they are the texture of coarse sand. Now add in the oats, cinnamon, and salt and process again until the coarse, sandy texture returns. Add the melted oil, maple syrup, and water, then process until the mixture comes together and no dry flour remains. The dough should stick together when pressed between your fingers; if it's still too dry, try adding another teaspoon or two of water and processing again.
- Crumble the dough all over the base of the tart pan in an even layer. Starting at the center, press the dough flat into the pan with your fingers and work your way outward and up the sides. If the dough starts to stick to your hands, lightly wet your fingers every now and then. With a fork, poke the base of the tart about 15 times to allow the air to escape while baking.
- Bake the tart, uncovered, 12 to 14 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and place the tart pan on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes. If the crust puffed up during baking, you can poke it a few more times with a fork to let the air escape. The crust will firm as it cools.
- Meanwhile, make the Raw Caramel Toffee: Add the pitted dates into a bowl and pour boiling water over top. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or longer if your dates are firm. Drain the dates and add them to the food processor along with the almond butter, lemon juice, salt, and vanilla bean seeds (if using). Process until smooth, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed.
- Open the chilled cans of coconut milk and carefully scoop off the white cream from the top of the can, discarding the water. Add the coconut cream into a medium bowl. With electric beaters, beat the cream until smooth and fluffy.
- When the crust has cooled, gently spread all of the caramel toffee onto the base of the crust—using the back of a lightly wet spoon—until the base is covered. Slice all of the bananas. Place half of the banana slices on top of the caramel, pressing down lightly to adhere.
- Spread all of the whipped coconut cream on top of the banana slices in an even layer. Now place the remaining banana slices on top of the pie in a circular pattern, overlapping and stacking them to create height. Garnish with shaved chocolate (I like to shave it with a vegetable peeler) and serve immediately. Leftovers will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 to 5 days. I don't recommend freezing this pie, as the banana slices get mushy after thawing.
Tip:
* To save time, you can swap the homemade coconut whipped cream for store-bought coconut whipped cream (such as So Delicious Coco Whip). Be sure to let it thaw before use.
The raw caramel works best with soft, fresh dates.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Congrats again, Sarah!
To those of you celebrating this weekend, I wish you a lovely Easter! Spring is officially in the air. ahhhh.
Angela, really: with grace and style, you go from being criticized, to PIE! A beautiful, delicious, springy pie. Seriously, good for you. If pie doesn’t symbolize peace and happiness, then I just don’t know what our world is coming to. Keep up the good work! Can’t wait for your next book. Hope you had a successful, fulfilling Easter gathering with your friends and fam.
I really loved this recipe! Although apple pie is my favorite I am going to include this recipe in my menu. Last time I had messed up my apple pie by using 3 tablespoon of cinnamon. I believe a metal pie dish helps a pie cool well. When I make my apple pie I give it sufficient time to rest or the fruit juices will run. If you are like me looking for a salty treat too make sure you try this out http://www.agein.com/savory-chana-chickpea-masala-6763.
Love this “clean” banoffee pie! My 4 month old son is also enjoying kitchen time, I just plonk him in his seat on the counter, and we chat about the food I’m making!
This looks delicious, I am so gonna try this recipe on my own at home. Please keep posting things like these. It will really help us a lot. :D
Ah dear, this looks perfect! I bet cooking is so much more fun with an audience : )
Any idea how long this will keep in the fridge?
Thank goodness April is my birthday month because I SO want a copy of that book!
This recipe looks and sounds utterly yummy.
Thanks as always for sharign your inspiring photography.
K
Yum! This looks so lovely and delicious. And I’ve never heard of this cookbook. So thanks for the hot tip!
Hi Angela,
Can you make this pie with peanut butter instead of almond? I wonder if you tried it, or what you think it would be like.
Thanks!
Ohhh wow! This is beautiful! I love Sarah’s blog and definitely want to get my hands on her cookbook. I hope you had a lovely Easter with your family Ange, and I’m sure Adriana will be helping you in the kitchen before you know it! :)
Thank you for sharing a simple yet heavenly dessert! Looks AMAZING!
my oh my this looks awesome. drooling!
This looks fantastic! Can’t wait to try it. Thank you.
Great recipe as always, Angela – big fan of banoffee pie and this recipe looks particularly healthy and nutritious what with the almonds, oats and coconut oil thrown in. Just wondered what your opinion was on ‘food synergy’ whereby certain foods benefit from being eaten together, as explored in my following article – http://blog.baaclothing.com/2015/03/5-healthy-easter-food-synergy-combinations.html – be great to get your view! Thanks
My husband will adore this…I’m thinking spring surprise dessert right here. Hope you had a great Easter!
What an amazing dessert! I can’t wait to make it! I was wondering of the coconut oil in the base could be substituted for applesauce by any chance?
I totally make my boyfriend go to the grocery store when I’m missing something too! I always give him the excuse that at least he doesn’t have to do the cooking (as if it were something I didn’t enjoy anyways haha). Recipe looks delicious! :)
Hey, what a wonderful blog you have! I just stumbled across it and I normally never write replies, but reading your blog sound like listening to a friend telling me about something :) I have one question though. I can see the pie in the baking thing and outside (sorry, English is not my first language). Both times the pie has the cream on it and the bananas. How did you get it out without making a mess? I mean, I would probably just take it our before filling it, because I don’t need to take so wonderful and yummy pictures. But still, share your secret ;)
I’m off to the kitchen now making pie!
I think it’s baked in a special kind of pan. The flat bottom can be pushed up and out of the ring around it. Can’t think of the correct name for the pan, but you can buy them at any kitchen store. I think Angela probably took it out to make it easier to serve it.
This is perfect, it looks totally scrumptious and decadent, I have to get the book.
This pie looks AMAZING! I’m trying to think of a good reason to make it ASAP after all the goodies I’ve already had over Easter…
The “start the car” reference had me in stitches. That’s exactly how I feel!
Coconut and syrup are both high in triglycerides. Some people need to be careful.
Too bad I did not learn about this recipe before Easter, but still very excited to try this for our weekend get together tomorrow! I’m also not a fan of sunflower seeds so it’s nice to know that I can replace it with almonds. I love almonds~ BTW, your pictures look great and oh-so tempting!
Hi was just wondering if there is an alternative to coconut milk as I really dislike the taste? Thanks
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am more than excited to try it out!! Your gorgeous food photos are really enticing!
That looks absolutely Delicious <3
I have followed My New Roots for ages, and came across your blog when she reviewed a recipe from your cookbook. I promptly ordered a copy and have followed Oh She Glows ever since :) I received my copy of the MNR cookbook and this post has made me even more excited to try out the recipes!
Wow this looks sinfully delicious! Crust looks mouthwatering, yum!
Angela this looks amazing! I’ve been so inspired from your recipes and your photography that I recently started my own! Thank you for spreading health, inspiration, and positivity!
Please check out my blog if you are into vegan recipes and healthy eating! http://rinasveganlife.blogspot.ca
Nice recipe! Please, could you put up a recipe for diabetics! Thanks for the good job.
I am so making this!
This looks so yummy….I am just starting out with cooking with vegan recipes and this one caught my eye because it looks better than the banana cream pie I always make that has all the sugar and dairy. I will definitely be following your blog and trying all the recipes you have posted!
This recipe looks incredible! I haven’t tried the traditional version either, but I am sure this one is much better :)
This pie looks exceptional. Only problem is that every time I buy bananas for this, before I turn around they are all eaten!! Have to try this again next time I go produce shopping. You have a wonderful blog and way about your writing. I hope you continue it for a long, long, time. Thank you!
looks delicious!
will need to try it out!
please visit my blog – food, fashion, lifestyle and more! just starting out :)
http://enjoybypaula.wordpress.com
xx
This is an awesome recipe! As a health blogger myself, I’m always trying to find new vegan dishes to try out. If you are interested in vegan restaurants check out my most recent post: http://www.thebrookeeper.com/food/5-awesome-vegan-eateries-you-must-try/ . Happy blogging!
Oh my goshhhh this looks absolutely incredible. I think I need it. Right now.
Looks so good…am tucking it away on my “to try” list. I also am excited for your upcoming cookbook :)
It is great to find options of sweet foods while still being light and healthy. I am not so big on sweets, except of course for chocolate, but my husband and 10 year daughter are.
I am now looking for healthy options to give them that sweet stuff they crave for.
Our plan is start cooking some new healthy dishes together as a family activity. This pie looks as a very good option to try out.
I wanted to bring a cool dessert for a girls only camping weekend and this looked perfect. We had it for breakfast. And…it was perfect.
Yummy. That looks so good. I’m always hungry when I visit here.
Have a fabulous day. ♥♥♥
http://www.nuevarebaja.com
This recipe sounds amazing.
Just made this and it was a hit!
Note: I used a glass pie plate and my crust took about 17 min to bake up. I suspect yours was quicker considering you used a metal plate. I also didn’t have any issue with air escaping.
Amazing recipe! Thanks! Will make again but will try adding strawberries for a punch of colour :)
Which dark chocolate do you use? Is it free of refined sugar? My dad has a ton of allergies and sensitivities and I’m always on the lookout on his behalf…
Good work and nice Post, I highly appreciate those people who share some good information.Thanks for sharing.
I am making this tonight! How long do you think it will keep in the fridge?
Very innovative way of combining banana pie with some ingredients that compliment it the best. Great recipe.
Hi Angela,
That pie looks delicious – I really love the recipes on the My New Roots, I should get hold of the book sometime! Hope your Easter dinner went well.
Besma (Curiously Conscious)
Oh. My. Goodness. This recipe is absolutely ahhhhhmazing!!!!
OK I am so fed up with trying to make coconut whipped cream. I can’t tell you how much time and money I’ve wasted to get nothing in return. On top of that I cut my hand on the can and needed stitches. Here’s what happens: I open the can and it’s in three layers. Liquid on the bottom, a small amount of fat and a large layer of a solid that looks like oil. When I try to whip the fat I only get a small amount. If I add in the fat, it’s chunky because it wont break down. What am I don’t wrong? Please help.
I have never commented before. But love all your recipes! I know it’s going to be good, if the recipe came from you! Can’t wait for the next book. Finally got a chance to make this lovely recipe. The Bomb! Everyone gave it high ratings. Totally Thanksgiving worthy for my non vegan friends! Loved it!