Ultra Strawberry Pie

This is a very special strawberry pie. It is packed with strawberry flavor, yet with a lovely creamy filling as well.

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients:

for the strawberry topping:

• 1 & 1/2 – 2 quarts fresh strawberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water

for the pie crust:

• 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3-4 tablespoons ice water
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, (vegan margarine or coconut fat)

for the cream filling:

• 1 & 1/2 cups plain soy yogurt
• 2 tablespoons raw cashew butter
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

for the strawberry topping:

1. Choose the prettiest strawberries to keep whole for the topping.
2. Clean them well and remove the hulls.
3. Finely chop and mash enough strawberries to make 1 cup.
4. Place the strawberries in a saucepan.
5. Add the sugar, and lemon juice.
6. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and pour over the strawberries.
7. Cook the strawberries to make a thick jam.
8. Stir continuously until the jam has thickened and become clear.

for the crust:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Cut or pinch the shortening into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse meal or sand. Blend in the water and mix well. Wrap dough and chill in refrigerator.
2. When the dough has chilled, remove and roll out for your pie pan.
3. Prick crust with a fork in many places.
4. Place a layer of baking parchment and fill the crust with rice or beans.
5. Bake bind for 8 minutes then remove the beans and parchment and bake for a few minutes more (8-10) until the crust is golden.
6. Remove the pie shell from the oven and allow to cool.

to make the filling:

1. Put the soy yogurt in a cheesecloth and drain the excess liquid for 2 hours or overnight.
2. Mix the cashew butter, powdered sugar and vanilla and blend well.

to make the pie:

1. Carefully, fill the cooled pie crust with 1/2 a layer of the soy cream mixture.
2. Top the soy cream layer with the pretty strawberries which have been hulled. Start with the center and work to the edges.
3. Pour the strawberry jam over the entire pie. Set in the refrigerator to cool and set.

Notes:

I had seen Kittee’s vegan strawberry pie and I knew it would be delicious. But we are unable to get ‘tofutti’ here, and I wanted to use my favorite flaky pie crust. But Kittee deserves the credit for the original idea of using the fresh strawberries, and making your own strawberry jam.