How To Make Vegan Banoffee Cream Pie

Plan ahead: 1 can coconut cream, refrigerated overnight. Salted caramel can be made in advance. 

Almond and Cacao Crust

Ingredients:
- 300g almond meal 
- 150g pecans, blitz in food processor 
- 50g unsweetened cacao powder 
- 6 tbsp maple syrup
- 60ml melted coconut oil 
- Pinch sea salt 

Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. 
1. Line a 20cm pie baking tin with greaseproof paper and brush all over with coconut oil. Ideally use a tin with removable bottom as it makes it easier to remove pie when ready. 
2. Mix the dry ingredients together before stirring in the coconut oil and maple syrup. 
3. Press into prepared tin, you can make the base flat or shape up around the sides of the tin to fill with extra caramel. Bake for 11 mins or until dry and firm. Leave to cool. 

Salted Coconut Caramel

Ingredients:
- 2 cans of coconut milk 
- 100g cup coconut sugar 
- 2 tbsp tahini (optional, adds a bit of depth and rounds out flavour)
- Large pinch sea salt
- 1 tbsp Vanilla extract 

Method:
1. Heat up coconut milk in a large wide pot (the wider, the faster it takes to cook).
2. Add coconut sugar and whisk continuously. As you heat and whisk, the milk will start to evaporate and thicken. The colour will turn darker brown and sauce will get thicker. 
3. When it’s decreased by at least half in volume and is multiple shades darker (do by eye/feel), take off the stove. After around 20 min, the caramel should be about half the volume of when you started cooking it, and sauce should be dripping slowly and thickly off a spoon.
4. Whisk in tahini, vanilla and sea salt to taste.
5. Leave to cool. You can set in the fridge overnight before assembly.

Coconut cream

Ingredients:
- 1 can coconut cream, refrigerated overnight 
- 25g organic icing 
- 1 tsp Splash of Vanilla extract 
- Pinch sea salt 

Method:
PREP: put bowl and whisks in fridge or freezer for about 30min-1hr before whipping. 
1. Scoop out fatty parts of the coconut cream into the chilled mixing bowl, leaving the water/oil behind. 
2. Whip with a chilled electric mixer, around 1 min (or 5 mins by hand).
3. Begin to add sugar, spoon by spoon, while whipping. Whip until cream gets fluffier.
4. Add vanilla extract and salt. Whip for another 4-5 minutes until very fluffy and stable.

Assembly 
3-4 bananas – depending on size 

1. Cut bananas into slices, about half an inch to an inch thick.
2. Spoon caramel onto crust and smooth with the back of a spoon or spatula.
3. Arrange bananas, stacked like fallen dominoes onto caramel.
4. Spoon whipped cream onto the bananas and spread.

Decoration: Drizzle extra caramel sauce on top, grate chocolate with shavings, dust with cacao, cacao nibs or scatter over freeze dried bananas.

Whisked Away is a series by food writer and enthusiast Georgia Bateman. Unable to travel like she used to, Georgia is dreaming of places and food from around the world. Her recipes are inspired by these destinations but not intended to be true representations of local dishes.