Yes, I will confess … I am smitten with pumpkin and I have made “Itty-bitty Pumpkin Pies with Chocolate” Gluten Free and Dairy Free.
Last year, I created a version of this but with dairy and pecans. I decided to adjust the recipe slightly to allow the Gluten Free/Dairy Free people to enjoy treats too during the holidays. (Last year I also used pecans but I ditched them because I found out that I can’t have them anymore … so out with the pecans and in with the hazelnuts.)
When I first experimented with this recipe last year I just did it and it worked. It was amazing! So delicious and the crust was a nice complement to the pumpkin with the nuts and coconut. I don’t usually measure, but this time I had to because I am entering this recipe into the Bon Appetit Blog Envy Bake Off. I am really excited about this because I happened to see the contest online yesterday. I thought about it for a few minutes and this was the first thing that popped in my mind. There is just one thing, I wanted it to be extra special because it is after all, Bon Appetit. So I decided to kick it up a notch and remembered that I am not only smitten with pumpkin alone but also dark chocolate! So here it goes …
I call them Itty-bitty because I bake them in the silicone cupcake cups.
You will need a regular size cupcake pan, silicone cups, two medium sized mixing bowls, a fork and a 1/4 cup (*or 1/8 measuring scoop) to use to pour the mix into the silicone cups.
Crust
Tip – mixing with a fork helps keep the mixture light and not clumpy.
1/2 cup Almond Meal coarse grind, not fine
1/2 cup Hazelnut Meal coarse grind, not fine
1/2 cup Walnuts coarsely chopped by hand
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix together with a fork.
Add 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes and mix together with a fork.
Add 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon of Grapeseed Oil and mix with fork.
Add 1 tablespoon of the crust mixture to the silicone cups inside the cupcake pans. Use the back of a well rounded spoon to press the mixture down so that it is concave. There will be a little bit of the mixture left over to use for topping.
Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes and let cool on a rack.
Filling
1 can or 15 oz. of Organic Pumpkin Pie Filling
3/4 cup light Coconut Milk
2 eggs room temperature and slightly beaten
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla.
I prefer Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Pure Vanilla Bean Paste (see picture)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Hand mix together.
Measure out 1/2 cup of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips – they are mini chips that are gluten, dairy and soy free.
Put about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate chips on top of the cooled crust.
There will be a little bit left over to use for topping.
*I use a 1/8 cup measuring scoop for baking that I found at a kitchen supply store a few years ago. They are actually scoops for measuring muffins and it is one of 3 sizes. If you do not have something similar, use a 1/4 cup, fill it half way with pumpkin mixture and put it on top of the chocolate chips in the cups so that it is about 3/4 full.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
Let cool on rack for 15 minutes. Chill in a covered container for at least 30 minutes before serving.
To remove the pies from the silicone cups, use a fork to slide them out on to a plate.
There should be a bit of crust mixture left over to top each just before serving.
If you want this recipe to be just Gluten Free, replace the Grapeseed Oil with 3 tablespoons of melted butter for the crust. Replace the coconut milk with 3/4 cup of evaporated milk.
and vote for my “Itty-Bitty Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate” starting November 1, 2009 and ending December 13, 2009. When you go to the link there will be several categories to vote for, go to the pie section and vote for “Itty-bitty Pumpkin Pies with Chocolate” by clicking on the picture and a green frame and check will appear. Thank you for your support!
I found the silicone cups at Williams-Sonoma. I think they call them “Sili-cups” and they come in different colors.
Enjoy!
Lisa – Gluten Free Foodie
Yes, I will confess … I am smitten with pumpkin and I have made “Itty-bitty Pumpkin Pies with Chocolate” Gluten Free and Dairy Free.
1/8 teaspoon salt
