Mini Apple Pecan Pies with Spieced Sweet Potato Caramel Cream (gluten free, vegan)
Ingredients:
Crust
1 1/2 cups of buckwheat flour (refined not the coarse variety)
2 tbsp of coconut or brown sugar
1/4 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1/3 cup of coconut oil (at room temperature, partially solid, not liquified)
1/2 tbsp of vanilla extract
2 tbsp of maple syrup
1 to 3 tbsp of ice cold water
Filling
2 small pink lady or gala apples
2 tsp of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
2 tbsp of coconut or brown sugar
1 cup of pecans
2 tbsp of maple syrup
2 tbsp of coconut or rice syrup
1 heaping tsp of arrowroot or cornstarch
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
Sweet potato caramel butter
1 cup of cooked and mashed sweet potato (or pumpkin puree)
1 tsp of pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
2 tbsp of maple syrup
pinch of salt
2 tbsp of tahini, almond or pecan butter
2 tbsp of coconut yogurt
Preheat the oven to 170 C.
In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients whisking to evenly combine.
Add the oil using your fingers or a pastry cutter blending the oil into the flour into the dough has a coarse sand-like consistency.
Add the maple and vanilla mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Slowly add water 1 tbsp at a time. The dough should be wet and just hold together, not too sticky.
Wrap it into plastic wrap or baking paper and rest in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
While the dough is resting, make the filling.
Chop the apples and mix with spices, maple and sugar.
Grind the pecans in a food processor and until fine and add syrup, vanilla and arrowroot/cornstarch pulsing to combine. Pour into a bowl and mix in the apples.
Take the dough out of the fridge, wait 5 minutes and roll out between parchment papers with a rolling pin until it’s around 3 mm thick. (it kind of depends on you though if you like your crust thicker or thinner).
Either transfer to a pie tin or muffing tin like I did. In this case, you’ll need to use a round cookie cutter big enough to cover bottom and sides of your muffin tin allow for some overhang.
You can create a pattern on the top of the sides of your crust or simply flatten it out with a fork. Rest in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Spoon the the apple and pecan filling inside and slightly flatten the top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is firm but not burnt. Allow the pies to cool before removing them from the tin.
In the meantime, make the sweet potato caramel butter blending all the ingredients until smooth in a food processor or blender.
Dollop a spoonful on top of your pies. Store leftover in an airtight container in the fridge. (perfect on porridge, yogurt or eaten by the spoon)
Enjoy your pie with some vanilla ice cream or whipped coconut cream.
If you have the patience, chill your pies in the fridge overnight. This way they develop even more flavour and just rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before serving.
