This vegan chocolate icebox pie is one of my FAVORITE desserts! The crust is unbelievably flaky and tender. The filling is a little bit labor-intensive but totally worth it. It uses Ener-G egg replacer instead of egg yolks, Earth Balance vegan margarine instead of butter, and soy milk instead of dairy milk.
The two teaspoons of vanilla give the filling a lovely chocolate/vanilla balance, but if you’re not overly fond of the vanilla flavor, you can omit one teaspoon.
Serve as is, or top with vegan whipped cream for an extra treat.
Vegan Chocolate Icebox Pie
Materials
Crust
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tablespoons natural sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan margarine, cold
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
Filling
- 4 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- 1 cup natural sugar
- 6 tablespoons organic cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine (sticks, not spread) at room temp
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups plain soy milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract divided
Instructions
To Make the Crust
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
- Using a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers, quickly cut in the margarine, mixing until crumbly
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and water, then add to the flour mixture, mixing just until a dough forms.
- Gather the dough together and press into a 6-inch disk.
- Wrap the dough disk in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll out onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness and gently press into a 9-inch pie plate.
- Flute the edges or crimp with the tines of a fork.
- Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork.
- Line the crust with a piece of aluminum foil and add pie weights (if you don't have pie weights, dried beans work nicely). To prevent the edges from getting too dark, extend the foil up the sides and loosely over the edges.
- Bake pie crust for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and lower temperature to 375 F.
- Remove foil and pie weights and return crust to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Watch closely after 10 minutes to prevent crust from getting too dark.
- Allow crust to cool completely before filling.
To Make the Filling
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of room-temperature Earth Balance margarine with the cocoa powder.
- Microwave for 20-30 seconds, until Earth Balance margarine is melted. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- Combine Ener-G powder and warm water. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together until smooth the cocoa powder mixture, sugar, flour and salt.
- Add soy milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and place over medium heat.
- Whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil. This will take a while and you will feel like your arm is going to fall off. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat (you'll scorch your filling!). The mixture will get thicker and darker as you whisk.
- Once mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat to complete the next step.
- Add a tablespoon of the chocolate mixture to the Ener-G mixture and stir. Repeat with one more tablespoon of chocolate.
- Add Ener-G and chocolate mixture to the pan and put the pan back on the heat.
- Cook, whisking constantly, for exactly 2 minutes.
- Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons Earth Balance margarine and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Pour filling into cooled crust.
- To prevent a skin from forming on the filling as it cools, cut a circle of waxed paper to fit on top of the filling. Place it directly on the filling and press lightly so that it is touching all of the filling.
- Refrigerate for several hours until filling is completely cool.