The look is rustic and homey, so don’t fall out with worry if the pie crumbles a bit when serving. Pour on the vegan cream and smile. We’re talking laid back. Imagine yourself chilling out in Big Sur, eating the pie out of a bowl, while the waves crash in the background. My intention is a sensory experience of flavor, grounding, and refreshing. No jolts or rushes, rather a calming sense of satisfaction.
Naked Apple Pie
Crust
1 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 cups medjool dates de seeded and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons good olive oil (not extra virgin, the flavor is too intense)
Filling
4 Cox, Fuji, or Pippin apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cups raisins soaked until plump
1/4 cup agave syrup or raw runny honey
Glaze
1/4 cup agave
juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon of filtered water
any juice left over from apples
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Vegan Cream
2 cups soaked cashews (soaked for at least an hour)
juice of an orange
1 teaspoon of good vanilla (no alcohol brand)
2 tablespoons agave syrup
Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples into a large bowl. Add the raisins, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and agave. Tossing until combined and set aside. For the crust, using a food processor with the S blade, grind the almonds, 1/4 cup of cashews, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Add the dates and olive oil and process until fully combined. The mixture should be crumbly and slightly sticky to the touch. Take the mixture and press evenly into a pie plate to form a half inch pie crust. Set aside.
For the pie, fill the crust with the apple mixture, covering evenly. Cover the pie with cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. If there is any juice left in the bowl from the apples, reserve it for the glaze.
For the glaze: In a bowl, whisk the agave, lemon juice, cinnamon, water, and any juices left from the apples until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
For the non dairy cream, in a blender, whizz the cashews, a bit of the soaking water, orange juice, and agave and blend until smooth. You may need to strain the cream of any stray bits of cashew. Transfer to a small serving jug.
Remove the pie from the fridge and drizzle the glaze over the top. Serve a slice with a splash of cream. Enjoy for dessert or breakfast.