Tropical Banana Cream Pie

Author: Heather Leno
Servings – one 8" pie, 6 slices Prep Time – 25 minutes Cook Time – 30 minutes divided Passive Time – 4 hours
Ingredients:

For Crust:

1/4 cup unsweetened macaroon coconut

1/4 cup quick oats

1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, stirred

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup almond flour, pressed lightly to measure

1 1/2 tablespoons agave syrup

For Filling:

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/3 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/3 cup golden-colored agave

1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, white or clear is nice

 

Additional Ingredients:

1 banana*, nice and ripe with spots but not brown

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes for garnish

1/4 cup sliced almonds for garnish

 
Instructions:
  1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2.  Combine all the crust ingredients except for the syrup in a food processor and process until the oats are milled.  While processor is running, add the agave syrup just until all is moistened.  It shouldn’t be wet, but damp enough to hold together when pressed between your fingers.  If it doesn’t want to hold, process a little longer or spritz lightly with water and process briefly.  Additional liquid could cause the crust to not be as tender, so don’t add much.
  3. Prepare an 8-inch pie plate with food release; crumble the mix from the processor evenly over the bottom.  Begin by pressing it lightly up the sides of the plate, holding your thumb along the top to make a nice edge that isn’t too thin, or it will burn.  Continue pressing it until the plate is covered and all the mixture is evenly distributed (not too thick or too thin) and patted into place.  (See Notes below)
  4. Bake for 6 minutes and then cover the edge of the crust; continue cooking for another 4 minutes, then check every 2 minutes until it is a nice golden color, watching carefully as it can burn quickly with the coconut.    Remove from oven to a cooling rack.
  5.  For the filling, combine the juice, coconut milk, cashews, cornstarch and salt in a high-speed blender and blend until nuts are smooth as cream.  Add the almond milk and agave and blend to mix.
  6.  Pour into a saucepan.  Cook and stir until bubbly and thickening.  Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and butter flavoring.  Continue to stir occasionally to keep crust from forming.  Let it cool as much as possible before pouring into the cooled pie crust.
  7.  Slice the banana as needed to cover the bottom of the pie crust.  Pour filling overtop.  Cover with a paper towel until completely cooled, then cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.
  8.  Toast the coconut flakes for 3-4 minutes at 300 degrees, and the sliced almonds for 8-10 minutes, watching them carefully so they don’t burn, remove quickly from the cookie sheet so they don’t continue to cook.
  9.  To serve, garnish each piece with a little mound of the toasted coconut and almond slices, approximately 1/2 tablespoon each.

 
Notes:

This crust was made in a glass pie plate, if using other types, watch carefully until you know how it cooks for yours.

*Bananas are sweetest when they are spotted; however, if they turn brown they can become bitter tasting.

This pie could also be served with a dollop of coconut whipped cream.