Vegan creamy pistachio pudding pie with raspberry compote and chocolate crust

I was watching Everybody Feed Phil (recommend if you like watching someone eat with unbridled joy), and they went to a pie shop in Chicago where they were served a pistachio pie with berries. I immediately started searching for a recipe, only to discover that making a pistachio flavored pie is no easy feat. Do you make a custard pie? An ice-cream pie? How do you get the green color bright enough and also get that authentic pistachio flavor going? I looked through dozens of recipes for inspiration before deciding that I was just going to have to experiment with it to find my answer. The idea of making a vegan pie using coconut products was really appealing since the flavor of pistachio, raspberries, chocolate, and coconut just sounded divine.

The answer to the pistachio flavoring (at least what I came up with), is a super pure, finely ground pistachio paste. You can make this yourself if you own a food processor. Taking raw pistachios, you boil them for no more than a minute, then shock them in an ice bath. Next, you must painstakingly remove the skins of each pistachio (or you can decide to skip this step – honestly I’m not sure how big of a difference it really made). Now grind all the nuts, nothing added, using a processor until a sticky, fine paste forms. This is the gold that will give the pudding a green tint and infuse the pistachio flavor.

You can make this recipe with any berry you think would pair well. But there is something about the slight sourness of raspberries that just makes this pie sing. I made a compote of frozen (yes! frozen!) raspberries, which kind of pulled all the flavors together. I intended the compote as a topping for each slice of pie, but in hindsight, I think it would have been even better to swirl the compote into the pudding before completely set.

Although it has many parts, each part is not too complicated with only a few ingredients and typically 1 bowl or pot. This pie is best allowed to set overnight – so make sure you plan ahead so you prepare your tastebuds to be left hanging until the morning. All in all this pie is a great, lighter-tasting pie that is perfect for a spring celebration with its beautiful green hue.

PISTACHIO PUDDING PIE

with raspberry compote and chocolate crust

Prep tip: For the pie filling, you will need a can of coconut cream left in the refrigerator overnight.

Pistachio Paste:

• 8oz raw pistachios (de-shelled)

You can either buy this or make it yourself if you have a food processor. Boil the pistachios for 1 min and then immediately “shock” them by putting in an ice bath (cold water with ice).

Peel the skins off of the pistachios using your thumb and 1st finger to pinch the nut and then applying pressure so that the nut slips out of its skin. You can also choose to skip this step (may effect final color).

Grid the pistachios in a food processor until a paste forms. The final product should be a little sticky and finely ground. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Should yield 1 – 1.5 cups.

Raspberry Compote:

• 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup or sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently to dissolve the sugar and help the berries begin to break down. When the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat to low and allow to cook for 10 minutes until thickened and the berries have broken-down. Pour into a jar and allow to cool completely.

Chocolate Crust:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup bakers cocoa (unsweetened)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, cold, cubed (we recommend Miyoko’s vegan butter)
• 2-4 Tbsp cold water

In a food processor, add the flour, cocoa, salt, and sugar. Blend until combined. Add the cold cubes of butter and process until the dough resembles coarse meal, or appears in larger crumbles. While the processor is on, add one tablespoon of water at a time until the dough pulls together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form into a flat disk. Wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill/rest for at least 30 min – 1 hour.

Unwrap the dough and place on a floured surface. Roll the dough into a 12-inch round. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan and press into the mold, making sure not to overwork the dough. Crimp the edges however you desire, making sure that the dough edge is lying against the flat edge of the pie plate. Prick the surface of the dough with a fork, creating air-holes to help the crust from bubbling up during baking. Cover and place in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to chill before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You may choose to add pie weights to blind-bake your crust. Add a piece of parchment paper over your crust and pour pie weights, or dry rice or beans into the parchment to weight the dough down. Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Continue baking for approximately 15 minutes more.

Let cool completely before adding filling.

Pistachio Pudding Filling:

• 2 cups coconut milk + 5 Tbsp coconut milk
• 7 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla or pistachio extract (we didn’t use pistachio extract here, but doing so may help to boost the flavor as well)
• 3-4 Tbsp of sugar or sweetener of your choice
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 – 1.5 cups of pistachio paste (see above)
• 1 13.5oz can of coconut cream left in the refrigerator overnight – make sure you buy a high-quality coconut cream, or a full-fat coconut milk for best results

In a bowl, whisk together the 5 Tbsp of coconut milk, cornstarch, extract, sugar, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 cups of coconut milk over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble. Add the cornstarch mixture and whisk as the pudding thickens. Bring back to a bubble and then remove from the heat. Whisk in the pistachio paste until completely incorporated. Taste for flavor and adjust as needed with more paste or extract if using. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until completely cool.

When the filling is cooled, prepare the coconut whipped cream. Open your can of coconut cream. The solids and liquid should have separated. Remove the solids (the cream) and leave the clear liquid (could reserve for another use if desired). Add the solids to a bowl and whip using a hand-mixer to incorporate air until fluffy and light peaks form.

Fold the coconut whipped cream into the pistachio pudding. Now we are ready for assembly!

Assembly:

• Chocolate crust, baked and cooled
• 1/2 – 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• Pistachio Filling
• Raspberry Compote, cooled

Arrange a single layer of raspberries in the bottom of your cooled chocolate crust.

Pour the pistachio pudding filling into the crust and over the raspberries. Spread the filling to fill the crust completely. Place in the refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. At this point, you can choose to swirl the raspberry compote into the pie or you can use as a topping when serving. To swirl. Add 3-4 dollops of the compote onto the surface of the pie. Using a long chopstick or similar tool, carefully swirl the compote by pulling it into the filling using the chopstick. Continue until the compote appears to be evenly swirled throughout, but be careful not to over-mix as to maintain the different layers.

Continue chilling the pie for at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve the pie with fresh raspberries, a sprinkle of pistachio, or the reserved compote. Will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, but is best in the first couple days.

Enjoy!