Friday, February 12, 2016

Fagan Eats Paleo Recipe: Paleo Chocolate Cream Pie

Paleo Chocolate Cream Pie


Valentine's Day is one of my most favorite holidays. Why?  Not for any of the reasons you may normally expect. And you may be wondering what any of this has to do with chocolate cream pie.  Pie + Valentine's Day sounds like a recipe for love to me!  

Anyway, back to Valentine's Day.  I don't love Valentine's Day for the romantic aspect of it all. What I love about Valentine's Day is that if you spend a little time looking around, you'll see love revealing itself.  Love becomes visible.  That's why I like to go to the grocery store on Valentine's Day. You'll see the man buying flowers for his wife.  Or the woman buying steak and wine for a special dinner. Or the little boy with his parent buying that box of mini-Valentine's Day cards for his classmates.  


Some folks will argue that Valentine's Day is commercial and that it's a holiday created by candy and greeting card companies.  Or they'll point out that the guy at the grocery store buying flowers for his wife is doing it out of obligation. And maybe he is doing it because he feels like he should.  But Valentine's Day is about showing up for someone.  In other words, on Valentine's Day, it's about them (your significant other or loved one), not you.  And to me, there's something beautiful about just such a gesture.  

My boyfriend and I don't make a big deal about Valentine's Day.  But I like to do something special for my friends who I think may need a little extra love in their lives.  I take it as an opportunity to spread love--sending some chocolates or a greeting card unexpectedly to brighten their day.  

And this Paleo Chocolate Cream Pie is just such an opportunity.  You see, I wasn't sure I was going to get this recipe done in time for Valentine's Day. A girl can only eat so many failed pie iterations, and this one took a few.  But it was important to me to create a recipe to participate in the love-fest that is Valentine's Day.  

This Chocolate Cream Pie recipe is beautiful, but so easy.  You'll be surprised that there aren't a ton of ingredients. One of the most amazing things about it is that the whole pie has only four tablespoons of maple syrup as the sweetener.  It can also be made dairy-free.  But I absolutely recommend if you tolerate dairy to make it this way.   If your palette hasn't adjusted or you are used to eating regular refined sugar, just be aware that it's not as sweet as you may be used to.  If you've been Paleo for a while and you are looking for a treat, then this recipe is for you.  

Wishing everyone a beautiful, grocery store flower bouquet, Paleo Chocolate Cream Pie-filled Valentine's Day!  <3--Jamie

Paleo Chocolate Cream Pie


by Jamie Miller
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Keywords: bake dessert primal paleo ancestral gluten-free butter grassfed butter heavy cream Chinese New Year Christmas Cinco de Mayo Easter Halloween comfort food pie American
Ingredients
    For the Crust
    • 2 tablespoons grassfed butter, softened (I use Kerrygold or you could use a non-dairy fat like coconut oil or palm shortening)
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 pastured egg
    • 2 cups blanched almond flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
    For the Filling
    • 2 1/2 cups almond milk
    • 1 tablespoon grassfed butter, or palm shortening, or coconut oil
    • 3-4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
    • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • dash cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon gelatin (I use Great Lake's in the red canister)
    • 2 tablespoons hot water
    For the Whipped Cream
    • 1 cup grassfed heavy whipping cream or coconut cream for a dairy free alternative
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • splash vanilla extract
    • Coconut cream is the solid, white part of whole fat coconut milk. The best way to get this is to refrigerate a can of coconut milk for at least overnight, open and scoop out the cream and reserve the remaining coconut water for other uses.
    For Garnish
    • 1-2 tablespoons allergen-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life) for topping
    Instructions

    For the Crust
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees
    While the oven is preheating, put all the pie crust ingredients into a food processor and pulse until combined and a dough has formed.
    Transfer the dough to a pie tin and press evenly into tin.
    Take a fork and poke holes in the bottom and sides of crust to prevent the crust from bubbling while baking.
    If you prefer, you can take the prongs of a fork and press into the pie crust to make a design in the crust.
    Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.
    Set aside.

    For the Filling
    Mix the gelatin and water until all the gelatin is dissolved and set aside.
    Place the remaining filling ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until it begins to boil.
    Remove from heat.
    Whisk in the gelatin mixture.
    After the mixture has cooled for a few minutes, pour into the pie crust.
    Refrigerate overnight to allow the pie to set.

    For the Whipped Cream
    When the pie has set, place 1 cup heavy whipping cream (or coconut cream), maple syrup, and splash of vanilla in a small mixing bowl.
    Using a hand or stand mixer, whip until stiff peaks form.
    Be careful not to over-whip.
    Spoon or pipe the whipped cream onto the top of the pie.
    Garnish with chocolate chips, strawberries, shaved chocolate or whatever you wish.

    Enjoy!
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