530ml(2 ¼ cups) unsweetened cashew milk (or sub unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened oat milk for nut-free)
4tablespoonscustard powder**(ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)
6tablespoonsmaple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
For the coconut whipped cream:
400g(14oz tin) of full-fat coconut milk
2tablespoonsmaple syrup(or sub any other sweetener)
½teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
For the pastry:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until it forms a firm dough - add the water a few tablespoons at a time so that you don’t add too much!
You can keep this pastry dough in the fridge for up to a day if you like, but there is no need to chill it before using
Place the pastry dough into a greased pie dish and use your fingers to carefully press it across the bottom and up the sides of the dish - I used a 20.5 cm/8 inch pie dish
Use a fork to pierce the surface (remember the sides too!) of the pastry, so that it doesn’t puff up in the oven. Alternatively, you can use baking beans
Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes, until the pastry crust is firm to the touch and golden brown
Leave to cool slightly before pouring in the filling
For the coconut:
Lay out the desiccated coconut on a baking tin and bake in the oven for around 5 minutes, making sure it doesn’t burn
For the custard:
Measure out the milk in a jug or measuring container
Pour the milk into a pan, leaving behind a few tablespoons of milk in the jug
Heat up the milk in the pan
Add the custard powder to the remaining milk in the jug and mix well, ensuring it has dissolved completely
Once the milk in the pan is steaming, add approximately half of the hot milk to the bowl with the dissolved custard powder, mix well and transfer the custard powder mixture to the saucepan
Mix well and keep stirring on a low heat for around 5 minutes, until thickened
Add the maple syrup, taste and add extra if desired
Once the pastry crust and the custard have both cooled a little, carefully pour the custard into the crust
Leave the pie in the fridge for up to a few hours to set completely before topping with the cream
For the coconut whipped cream:
You’ll need to keep your tin of coconut milk in the fridge overnight for the rich creamy bit to separate from the watery bit at the bottom. Make sure it is full fat coconut milk, otherwise this separation won’t happen and you won’t be able to make this cream!
Open the tin upside down – the coconut cream will be at the bottom and you can just pour off the watery liquid (save this for adding to soups or smoothies)
Place the thick, creamy part into a bowl
Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract
Use an electric whisk (or a manual one and a lot of elbow grease) to whip up the coconut cream until light and fluffy
Take the pie out of the fridge, and ensuring that the custard has completely set, carefully cover it with the coconut whipped cream
Scatter over the toasted desiccated coconut
Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days
Notes
*You can alternatively use almond flour**If you can't get hold of a shop-bought custard powder, you can substitute it with the same amount cornflour (cornstarch), which will result in the same texture and flavour, though the colour will be considerably less yellow.