Vegan Pecan Pie

After much experimentation, I have finally found success in making vegan pecan pie for the holidays.

Pie Crust:
You can either use a store bought pie crust (there are some out there that are vegan) or make your own from scratch.

Mix together:
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt

Cut in:
2/3 cup vegetable shortening

Sprinkle with:
4 tablespoons ice cold water

Gather the dough into a ball, cut in half, then roll out into a circle 1" larger than your pie pan. Lay pastry into pie pan, gently patting it into place (do not stretch it out though). Trim any excess, and then crimp the edges gently with your finger tips or a fork. There is probably enough dough in this dough recipe for two pies, so you can just freeze it for later.


Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup melted vegan margarine
1 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons agar powder
2/3 cup boiling water
1 cup pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

First, combine the first four ingredients in your mixing bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl or measuring cup, add the boiled water to the agar powder and whisk vigorously until it thickens a bit. Add this mixture to the other ingredients and mix thoroughly with a rotary beater.

After the above ingredients are mixed, add in the cup of pecans and stir until they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Pour the mixture into your pie crust. Cover the pie with tinfoil to prevent the crust from burning and bake for about 30-35 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and bake until the crust is lightly browned (about 5 more minutes).

Remove the pie from the oven. It will still be soupy at this point, but do not fear! Place the pie in your refrigerator and allow it to chill for about 2 hours or so. The agar powder will work its gelatinous magic and your pie will set up beautifully. Voila!