Tapioca Macaroon Pie (Still Baking #5)

Today wasn't great for me. I was just very glum all day, didn't do much of consequence, felt physically crummy towards the end of the day. It was definitely a day where I needed a pick me up.

So naturally... I made pie!

I have to tell you that the photographs of this pie are really horrid, and I know that. But it is SO GOOD that I hope you'll consider giving it a try anyway. The crust is a variation on this one I found on Eat the Cookie. Oh man, I found that blog from random googling and I am SO excited to browse through it now-- though not a solely vegan blog, it looks like it has a ton of vegan yummies.



Tapioca Macaroon Pie
makes 1 9" pie

Macaroon crust:
1/4c soy-free Earth Balance (or your choice of vegan butter)
3 tbsps agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1c finely shredded unsweetened coconut
1c almond meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt


Tapioca filling:
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1/4c water
3 tbsps tapioca pearls
3 tbsps tapioca flour
1/2c finely shredded unsweetened coconut
pinch of salt
1/4c sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1. First make the crust: preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9" pie plate.
2. Place Earth Balance & agave nectar in small saucepan over low heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until EB is melted.
3. While EB/agave combo cooks, mix together the dry ingredients (coconut, almond meal, baking powder, salt) in a mixing bowl.
4. When EB is melted, remove pan from heat and whisk in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
5. Pour the liquid in the bowl of dry ingredients and use a spatula to mix well.
6. Press mixture into a thin, even layer in your pie plate.
7. Cook for 14 minutes or until crust is a light, toasty brown and smells amazing.
8. Cool for about an hour.

9. While the crust is cooling, make the tapioca filling: combine all ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan and allow to soak (to soften tapioca) for at least 30 minutes.
10. Heat over medium-low heat until bubbling. It will thicken VERY quickly-- mine started to get pretty thick before it even started to bubble.
11. Once bubbling, cook for about 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Taste for doneness (who wants undercooked tapioca?) and provided it's not crunchy, remove from heat.
12. Whisk in your vanilla extract.

13. Pour tapioca filling into macaroon crust, smooth down with spatula, and put the whole thing in the fridge to set for at least 30 minutes.

Here's another picture of a single slice of this:



Ugh, SO good. Why have I never put tapioca in pie before?! I think this would be extra great with a layer of citrus curd in there somewhere-- perhaps a very thin layer between crust and tapioca. It's really tasty as is, though.

Finally, here's your daily Emperor. He's looking very serious while eating his dinner: