Practically Perfect Pumpkin Pie with Coconut Whipped Cream- vegan, no sugar, gluten free, soya free

This pie is definitely even better after a night in the fridge- should there be any left, of course...

Like Mary Poppins, this pie is "Practically perfect in every way." Practically: I have to admit I've never made pumpkin pie before, so please bear with me if this recipe omits something essential. The only time I ever ate pumpkin pie it had a soggy pastry base and a mushy and flavourless filling that put me off the whole idea for years. However, just recently I have seen so many delicious-looking pumpkin pie recipes I wanted to try out devising one of my own. I have now read loads of different recipes and decided to go for the baked filling approach with a nutty, gluten free crust rather than pastry. (If I had had pecans or hazelnuts rather than peanuts it would have been even better. (And it was also a little thick for my liking, so you may want to use less of the mixture.) The addition of spices and vanilla to the filling make my version pretty flavoursome, but please remember I only said practically perfect ;)

The nutty, chewy base contrasts with the smooth and spicy filling, and the whipped coconut cream provides a luxurious finishing touch

Use a 25cm-diameter springform pan for these amounts; makes about 12 slices:

Base:

200g nuts (I only used peanuts because that was all I had- pecans or hazels would be much better)

200g oats

100ml agave nectar

150ml coconut oil (brought to liquid temperature)

• Grind the nuts and oats in a food processor until they are a coarse powder.
• Add the agave and oil and process until well mixed.
• Press into an oiled 25cm springform pan and bake at 200C for 10-15 minutes until just turning brown- be careful not to overcook it, as it's going back in the oven once the filling's inside.

Filling:

700g pumpkin, peeled and diced

3 flax eggs 

150ml agave

2 tabs gram flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tsp powdered ginger

• Cook the pumpkin in just a smidgin of water until it is soft and all the water is absorbed (keep an eye on it to prevent burning).
• Mash it to a puree.
• Mix in the rest of the ingredients- whisk in the gram flour last- watch out for any lumps.

To Assemble:

Spread the filling onto the base, bake for half an hour at 200C and leave to cool. The filling should set enough to hold together when sliced. Top with whipped coconut cream.

Whipped cream:

Put a can of coconut milk in the fridge to chill. When you open it, the water will have separated off from the creamy part. Take off the cream and whip it just like dairy cream. It stays thick too; unlike dairy whipped cream which tends to collapse after a while.