Crumbly biscuit, sticky caramel, sweet banana, and fluffy whipped cream… what’s there not to like?
This banoffee pie is super sweet and sticky, enticing you to come back for seconds, even thirds. The crumbly almond crust base is layered with delicious caramel, fresh banana, and whipped coconut cream, making it a pie that is sure to impress.
This banoffee pie is completely plant-based and vegan. I was tempted to use honey to really pack a sweet punch in this dessert; however, I know vegans do not consume honey. Plus, the dessert was already sweet enough from the caramel and banana. Anymore added sweetness, it would have completely overpowered the palate. Less is more so they say.
If you love the flavour of bananas, do not hesitate to add some to the caramel filling or even the biscuit base, but make sure you use a ripe banana – Hint: the browner the banana peel, the sweeter the banana. So, if you want to achieve a banana-coconut caramel, add one ripened mashed banana to the coconut cream, and then reduced down the coconut sugar until it transforms into a thick, rich banana caramel.
Adding mashed banana to the caramel filling not only infuses extra banana flavour, but it means that you do not need to add as much coconut sugar due to the natural sweetness from the banana. They are like nature's candy.
I was surprised when I discovered that the traditional banoffee pie recipe does not include bananas throughout the dessert. Bananas are simply added on the top of the pie. I guess without them, it becomes a toffee pie. However, I do believe that adding bananas enhances the flavours. Additionally, more modernised versions of this dessert contain espresso or chocolate flavours in the pie crust or in the caramel filling. I’m not sure if espresso compliments bananas; however, I am certain that chocolate does. You can’t go wrong adding a bit of cacao to the base of the dessert.
Furthermore, before making the whipped cream, make sure that you place the coconut cream in the fridge overnight to ensure that it develops a firm texture. I do not recommend using lite or low-fat coconut milk for this as you will not achieve stiff peaks.
Banoffee Pie
GF DF V
Serves 14 - 16
INGREDIENTS
Base
- 5 pitted dates
- 3/4 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/4 cup coconut nectar
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
Caramel Filling
- 1 1/4 cup coconut cream
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1 tbsp tahini spread
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- 1 banana (sliced)
Whipped Cream
- 1/4 cup coconut cream
- 2/3 cup aquafaba
- 1 tbsp coconut nectar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees on fan bake. To make the base, steam or boil the dates until they become soft. Remove the skin of the dates and roughly chop them. Use a blender to blitz the dates into a puree. Mix all of the ingredients together in a food processor until completely combined. Place baking paper into a tart tin covering the inside walls and base. Spread the mixture evenly into the tart tin. Put it in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Take the tart tin out of the oven and allow the base to cool down for 10-15 minutes.
To make the caramel filling, place all of the ingredients into a saucepan. Bring it to boil on medium heat. Let the caramel boil for 1 minute whilst stirring consistently. Then turn the stove heat down to simmer for 10 minutes and continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the caramel filling has slightly thickened, leave it aside for 15 minutes to cool down. Pour the caramel layer on top of the base. Put the tart tin in the fridge for 3-4 hours to allow the caramel filling to set.
For the topping, roughly place the sliced banana on top of the caramel filling. To make the whipped cream, use an electric mixer to beat the aquafaba for 10-15 minutes until it becomes white and foamy (it should look like raw meringue – when you beat egg whites and caster sugar together). Add coconut cream, coconut nectar and vanilla essence to the aquafaba and gently fold them together until completely combined.
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