Gluten Free Vegan Coconut Pecan Pie Crust

This pie crust comes courtesy of The Gluten-Free Goddess. She is an allergyland food magician as far as I'm concerned. I find recipes on her site that I didn't think I'd ever enjoy again. I nearly wept when I tried her Cheesy Uncheese Sauce on rice pasta. Not cheese sauce really, but a tangy, creamy ocean of yum for your taste buds. But that's a gush for another post.

This crust is pressed into a parchment-lined Springform pan and placed in the oven to set before use. I've tried it two different ways: using coconut oil and using Earth Balance Soy-free margarine. The first time I baked with the oil, it leaked all over the bottom of my oven and generated enough smoke for a four alarm fire. I figured it was the oil content, so I tried the Earth Balance the next time. Oh so much worse. Did I learn from the first experience and place foil on the bottom of my oven to capture the smoke monster? Nope, nope, NOPE. A five alarm smoke fire ensued. My house still reeks.

I don't know if Springform pans are known for such leakage and I'm a complete noob for not knowing that, or if I just have a malfunctioning one. Suffice it to say, I will line the bottom of my oven with foil the next time I make a pie - or anything else - with a Springform pan. Experience is a harsh mistress.

The crust tasted just fine using either fats. I'd say the crust using coconut oil was oilier, so maybe I would use less next time, but it was no less yummy.

So proceed with cautious optimism. And line those ovens.

Coconut Pecan Pie Crust

Adapted from a pie crust recipe nestled within her recipe for Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie with Praline and Coconut-Pecan Crust.

Line a 9-inch Springform pan with parchment paper. Line the bottom of your oven with foil to catch oil drippings.

Ingredients:

1 cup flaked unsweetened organic coconut
1 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup all purpose gluten-free flour blend*
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons vegan butter (Earth Balance or coconut oil)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Place dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand.

Add vegan butter and pulse several times until crumbs are moist and begin to fall away from the sides of the bowl.

Dump crumbs into pan and spread them evenly. Using your fingers gently press the crumbs across the bottom and up the sides - about 2/3 of the way up.

Bake in the center of the oven for about ten minutes to set.

Remove the pan and set aside while you make your pie filling.

*I used Karina's Basic Gluten-Free Flour mix with a slight tweak (can't use xanthan gum):

1 C sorghum flour (or millet)
1 C tapioca starch (or potato starch)
1/3 to 1/2 C almond meal (or buckwheat flour)
1 t guar gum (or xanthan gum) 

It's pretty versatile. If you don't have time to whisk together a blend, I think any GF flour would do.