Vegan Purple Sweet Potato Pie is as delicious as it is pretty. It's made with purple yams, which gives it a totally natural bright purple color. It's a showstopper! This pretty purple sweet potato pie is actually made with a type of yam called ube yams or purple yams. I didn't think yam pie sounded as good as sweet potato pie, and since everyone always mixes the two up anyway, I thought I'd just go with it. But hey, now you know!
Ingredients
The Crust
1 cup almond meal
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ cup melted coconut oil, plus more for the pan
¼ cup maple syrup
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
Pie Filling2 lb purple yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds (about 4 cups worth)
¾ cup canned coconut milk, not light!
½ cup maple syrup, see notes
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, neither amounts are very spicy but the ½ teaspoon does stand out more
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Coconut Whipped Cream
1 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Method
The Crust
* Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9″ pie pan with coconut oil.
* Mix all the crust ingredients in a large bowl then transfer them to the prepared pie pan.
* Wet your hands lightly to prevent the crust from sticking to them then press the crust into the pan, making sure it is even on the sides and bottom.
* Bake the crust in the oven for 10 minutes. When you remove it from the oven, the crust will be puffed up and light golden brown. Use the back of a spoon to gently push the crust down so there is room for the filling.
Pie Filling* Bring an inch of water to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Add the purple yams and steam for 10 minutes, or until the yams can be pierced with a fork.
* Drain the yams then put them in a high-powered blender or food processor.
* Add the rest of the pie filling ingredients and blend on high until everything is smooth and creamy.
* Pour the pie filling into the baked pie shell and smooth out the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the pie has set but still has a little jiggle in the middle. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely before serving it.
Coconut Whipped Cream
* Set the can of coconut milk in the fridge for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight. You want the cream and the milk to separate, and this is easier if it is very cold.
* Separate the hard cream from the watery milk. Put the cream in a large bowl and add the powdered sugar.
* Using electric beaters, beat the cream for 2-3 minutes. It won't form stiff peaks like regular whipped cream, but it will be stiff enough to dollop.