Mud Pie

The density of this pie reminds me of Mississippi Mud pies. It would be delicious with whipped coconut cream on it and a sprinkling of crushed Oreo’s (or Glutino’s). Next time.

• 1 ½ cups blanched almonds
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• ¾ cup vegan sugar
• ½ cup dark chocolate*
• 1 ripe banana
• ¼ cup tapioca flour
• ½ cup coconut oil
• Graham cracker crust**

Cover almonds in water and let sit for an hour as they soften. Drain and add to blender along with water. Blend until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend until fully incorporated. Transfer filling to a sauce pan and heat slowly over medium/low heat while stirring with a whisk. Keep your whisk on the bottom as you stir to keep the mixture from sticking. Once warmed through, you’ll see the color change as the chocolate bits melt. You do not want to cook this filling, just warm it enough to melt chocolate and coconut oil and activate the tapioca starch, about 5-6 minutes on the stove. Pour contents into crust and refrigerate for several hours.

*I ran up the street and grabbed this bar from Walgreen’s. It’s a high-quality, low-priced vegan chocolate bar.

**I found a vegan, gluten-free graham cracker crust at the grocer. You can make your own by mixing 1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs of choice (crackers + food processor) with 3 tbs of Earth Balance and pressing into your pie pan. Bake at 375º for 10 minutes.

Apple Butter

Apple butter doesn’t originate in America, but this style of preserving apples was pretty important in colonial life. The ‘butter’ is simply the caramelization of sugars, an all-day (or overnight, in my case) process. Store-bought apple butters contain white sugar, which means vegans may or may not be able to eat it. Making your own is simpler than you think, so enjoy knowing just what your getting. This recipe takes about 12 hours, so start it at the appropriate time.

My apples were seconds from a friend who works at an orchard in Connecticut. They were a mix of variety but all red skinned, which usually means sweeter.

• 3 pounds of apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks*
• 1 cup apple cider**
• 1 cup organic, vegan cane sugar
• 1 cup organic, vegan brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground clove
• A dash of salt

Toss all ingredients into a large pot and stir to coat. Bring to a simmer and cook on low for an hour, stirring occasionally.  Congrats, you just made apple sauce!

Transfer the apple sauce to a small crock pot and cook on low for 10-11 hours. Sauce will thicken and brown as sugars caramelize. I cooked my overnight and had a very tasty breakfast.

Double or triple recipe for more. I started with 3 pounds because I have a small crock pot.

You can store this apple butter in refrigerator for up to 6 weeks. To can, transfer to hot jars leaving 1/4-inch head-space and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

*7 large apples for me

**I made mine from some of the seconds, so no added sugars or preservatives. But use what you have. Apple juice will work, too. And, if you like your apple butter a little tart, like the Pennsylvania Dutch, use apple cider vinegar.