did someone say banoffee??? my vegan banoffee pie

We went to a pasta night at a friend's house on Saturday, but they were making it with egg- the traditional way- so I was just going to take my vegan cannelloni (the recipe for which you can find in a previous post) and enjoy the company. However, I know that pasta doesn't always have to have egg in it, so I thought I'd give it a go on Friday- just to see if I could make it. Turns out I can! And it was so delicious that I think it will become a regular addition to our weekly menu. I made the recipe from here.

I ended up making an agnolotti with a sundried tomato filling to take to the pasta night. But the real winner was my banoffee pie.

Bano-whaty? I hear you ask.

It's surprising how many people actually don't know what a banoffee pie is! Invented in the UK in the 70s, it's a delicious combination of banana and toffee flavours and is sure to please the crowds at your next special event.

The co-creator of the Banoffee pie, Ian Dowding, says his pet hate is a biscuit crumb base- but it's so easy to make this way- you be the judge and perhaps try the filling in a pastry case of your choice!

Ingredients:

250g (8oz) chocolate biscuits
1/2 cup coconut oil (liquid)
12 medjool dates
1/3 cup coconut (or brown) sugar
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp cornstarch
540ml coconut cream
2 tsp vanilla flavouring
2 bananas- plus more for decoration if you wish

Method:

1.In a food processor, blitz your choice of biscuits with the coconut oil and half the dates until it turns to crumbs and then begins to clump together.

2.Grease a medium tart tin (24cm) and press the mixture into the base of the tin and up the sides- I like to use a spoon to press it in or it gets stuck to my fingers and I can't get an even finish. Refrigerate the base.

3.In a small saucepan, over a low to moderate heat, bring the water and coconut sugar to a boil. You want the mixture to reduce so it's sticky and not runny- but you don't want to burn it- so go easy

This is where I stopped taking photos! I get so caught up in making the food and tasting as I go that I forget, and trust me, tasting as you go is the best part of this recipe! Just don't burn your tongue on the sugar :P

4.Whisk cornflour and coconut cream in a bowl, then stir into the sugar syrup- no need to rush this, make sure you don't get lumps. Keep stirring the mixture until it boils and thickens.

5.Blend the mixture with the dates, vanilla and bananas until smooth. I didn't use my nutri-ninja- just a normal blender, and it worked fine. Just watch for chunks of date before you pour it into the tart tin.

6.Pour the mixture into the biscuit base and smooth to the edges. Refrigerate (overnight is best)

7.I made a chocolate sauce for the top which was just 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of cocoa powder with 4 Tbsp of water. I stirred this in a small pan over low-heat until there were no lumps and allowed to cool before pouring over the pie. I also topped with banana, pecans and chopped dates.

Hope you enjoy! x