Vegan Snickers Pie

People always ask me why on earth I make my own Birthday cake.  Well, it is simple.  I can't get the kind of cake I want anywhere, and I actually enjoy making my own.  I mean, where around where I live can I get a refined sugar free vegan dessert with no cheater ingredients?  Probably nowhere, and it would cost me an arm and a leg I am sure. A few times in the past making my own Birthday dessert didn't work out so well.  like when I was younger and I tried to make a pink cake with beet coloring and it turned brown and tasted beety.  That wasn't cool.  Or the time I tried to make a chocolate cake with ganache, following someone else's recipe only to have it all run off the cake and plate and onto the floor.  Luckily this type of thing hasn't happened in the past 8 years with my Birthday cakes at least.  Most of them turn out well.  I suppose that is a chance you take when creating a recipe for the first time for your Birthday.

This year I did not even make a cake.  I made a pie.  Because it is my Birthday, so I can make whatever I choose!  This isn't the first year I have done this, I made a peanut butter and jelly cream pie a few years back and it was pretty bomb.  One of my favorite recipes actually!  Also, my Birthday is in the Summer, so some years I just don't want to heat up the oven, which is part of why I made a no bake pie.  The main reason though why I made this pie is because I wanted something dreamy, rich and creamy for my Birthday dessert.  The Vegan Snickers Pie I chose was all that and then some.

I made a no-bake oat and coconut based chocolate crust. It was easy to make and the perfect carrier for the creamy fillings.  I made both a peanut butter mousse (kind of to replace the nougat portion of the snickers), and a chocolate peanut butter mousse because why not make this extra decadent.  And I made both a plain caramel and chocolate caramel to swirl into it.  It may sound complicated, and yes this pie has a few steps but it is worth it.  And you are actually just adding cacao powder into plain for both the caramel and filling to make the two flavors of each.  I sprinkled some peanuts on top, since this was snickers, and I could not wait for it to chill and be ready to try!

It turned out super decadent and delicious.  It was just what I wanted for my Birthday dessert!  I may be 32 now, but I still feel like I am 25, and yes I still enjoy things like gooey snickers pies for my Birthday.  You don't have to wait for your Birthday to make this, try it out now when you are craving something delicious.  Just for the heck of it!  You will be happy you did!

Vegan Snickers Pie
Makes one 8 inch pie

1 9 inch pie plate or removable bottom tart pan

Crust:

• 3/4 cup finely shredded dried coconut
• 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten free rolled oats
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup soft pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them 30 minutes and drain well before using)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• filtered water as needed

Filling:

• 1 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup organic peanut butter
• 1 cup coconut butter warmed to liquid
• 2 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

Caramel:

• 1 cup soft, pitted medjool dates (soaked in water 30 minutes, and drained well before using if not soft)
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch sea salt
• 1 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

Peanuts for topping

Instructions:

1. For the crust, combine all ingredients in the food processor until finely chopped and starting to hold together when squeezed (if it doesn't you may need to add a little filtered water 1 Tbsp at a time).
2. Press the mixture into a 9 inch pie crust, or a 9 inch removable bottom tart pan or pie pan greased with avocado oil (or other oil that doesn't harden when chilled).
3. For the filling, combine all ingredients but the cacao powder in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Divide between 2 bowls, and whisk the 2 Tbsp cacao powder into one. Pour the one with the cacao powder over the crust and smooth to the sides.  Set this and the bowl of other filling aside.
4. For caramel, place all ingredients but the cacao powder in a high speed blender and blend until smooth, then divide between two bowls and whisk the cacao powder into one of them along with 1 Tbsp filtered water.  Drop half of each of the two caramels (the plain and the chocolate) over the filling by the heaping teaspoon, then swirl it with a knife or toothpick to marble it.  Pour the plain filling over that, then repeat with the rest of the caramel, swirling it with a knife.  Sprinkle peanuts around the edge of the pie.  Place in the freezer until set, about 2 hours.
5. Pie keeps refrigerated for 1 week in a container.