Coconut Custard Pie with Papaya Sauce.

Coconut custard pie with papaya sauce recipe

I don't know why, but all of a sudden I was craving some coconut custard pie—a nice, creamy dessert that is completely vegan. Desire for custard pie! Everyone has those, right? So I created this dish that was inspired by an island and was brimming with tropical tastes like lime, papaya, and coconut.

Get my recipe for this Coconut-Lime Custard Pie with Fresh Spicy Papaya Sauce, a Homemade Oat-Spelt Maple Crust, and no baking required (other than for the crust). What's the trick to making a vegan pie that is firm like "custard"?

The Tastes. Fresh Papaya Sauce, which is sweet and little sour, is the ideal zingy tropical topping for this smooth, creamy coconut custard pie. The pie filling has a flavor and texture that is reminiscent of flan and is just moderately sweet. The sweet maple-cinnamon taste, nutty spelt flour, and whole grain oats are all packed into the crumbly structure of the crust. Before adding them to the mixture, pulse oats in a blender for a finer crust. Serve this warm or cold creamy custard pie. Serve in bars or slices.


Creations by Agar Agar. Agar Agar is the key of custard pies! I adore preparing food with agar agar. Your creativity will run wild with ways to use it after you master the method, which you can then use in your recipes. Agar Agar, a flavorless, transparent seaweed, is essentially "vegan gelatin" since, when dissolved in boiling water and then cooled to set, it produces a firm gel-like texture. You may prepare this recipe without Agar Agar, but the finished product will have more of a pudding pie consistency than a custard pie. Delicious in both cases.


The Agar Agar Method. Depending on your recipe, you should adjust the amount of agar agar you use. But before adding the Agar to the rest of your components, you should always fully dissolve it in hot water. I use around 1/2 to 1 cup of water for every 3 Tbsp of agar. The package also includes instructions. If your agar is not completely dissolved, as it cools, it will congeal into oblong, tapioca-like bulbs. Interesting, but not delicious or smooth.


Coconut Custard Pie with Zing Papaya Sauce and Spelt Oat Maple Crust
vegan, makes two small pies or one large dish of pie bars

Spelt Oat Maple Crust
3 cups spelt flour (plus more for kneading dough)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
4-5 Tbsp vegan buttery spread
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
optional: pumpkin seeds

Coconut-Lime Custard Pie Filling
3-4 Tbsp agar agar
3/4 cup water
32-36 ounces of silken tofu (about 2 containers)
1/4 cup cornstarch or 4 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup dry sugar
*note: this recipe is very mild in sweetness - add more sweetener for a more intensely sweet dessert bite.
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup coconut flakes
2 tsp sea salt
1 cup soaked cashews (optional)

Fresh Spicy Papaya Sauce
3 cups fresh papaya, seeds removed (about 1 medium red papaya)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp agar agar
4 Tbsp water
dash cayenne (more cayenne, more heat)