I really wanted to start this post by saying this is the greatest thing I think I’ve ever made. Luckily, I get to start it however I want and, you know, I just exercised that right. My only hesitation is this: I’ve called other things the best things I’ve ever made. For a hot second I was all like, “Molly, not everything can be the best ever. Enough with the hyperbole but also, nice use of the word hyperbole. Here’s a gold star.” With my gold star expertly affixed to my forehead I rethought this notion.

Shouldn’t everything be the new best thing I’ve ever made? I mean, if I’m going to share it with anyone, it should be good, right? Best-ever good should be the standard, the goal in mind every time I stand around in my kitchen and go “I ‘unno, maybe some ice cream on top? k, whatever, sure.”

So with that being said, here’s my most fucking delicious best thing I’ve ever made. Even my roommates told me it was “dope.” I don’t speak young white male very well (have I told you about my dating record? HELLO.) but I’m pretty sure that means it was the most fucking delicious best thing I’ve ever made that he’s eaten. I think one of their friends even suggested that this pie was what was up.

Now let’s break down why this (nearly) raw pie is dope. First off, the crust is amazing. Crunchy and not overly sweet but sturdy enough to hold everything together if you’re looking to eat it like a slice of pizza. And you might.

Next, the sweet potato layer is a straight up revelation. This is the only part of the recipe that involves any cooking. If you want to somehow venture into raw mashed sweet potatoes, please do! I baked and mashed my sweet potatoes the day before and by pie time I sorta forgot I even ever cooked them and just thought it was magic. But then also? It is magic. Sweet potato pies are so heavenly with their autumnal charm and velvety texture. But even frozen, the sweet potato layer is amazingly tasty. Despite being cold, it still somehow manages to warm you up with the mixture of spices and witchcraft.

And finally, ice cream. Everybody likes ice cream. If you don’t like ice cream, you are nobody. That’s how that works. This ice cream is frozen banana based to keep it vegan and stupid easy to make. The vanilla hides the banana flavor really well, so well that none of my tasters even noticed its undertones. And I love it when superfluous undertones (that can’t possibly be a thing) go unnoticed.

So there you have it. The best thing I’ve ever made to date. This pie is heroin.

(Am I doing it right?)

SWEET POTATO and VANILLA ICE CREAM (almost raw) PIE

serves 12

ingredients

CRUST

3.5 oz pecans

40g diced dried plums (Sunsweet Plumazins comes diced and in a recyclable package and a name you’ll be embarrassed to add to your cart)

¼ cup whole chia seeds

2 tablespoons maple syrup

SWEET POTATO LAYER

2 medium sweet potatoes or 3 small ones but if you keep it on, rinse them pretty well , chopped into 2″ or so chunks, skin on or off is up to you(your goal is to get 500g of mashed sweet potato)

1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses

1 teaspoon Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

a dash of salt

ICE CREAM LAYER

2 medium bananas, chopped into chunks and frozen

½ teaspoon Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (my new favorite thing? My new favorite thing.)

2½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon almond milk

pie pie pie pie pie!!!! ask me how much i like pie!!

Get a large pot of water boiling. Toss the sweet potato chunks into the pot. Boil for about 15 minutes or until a knife easily pierces the potato’s flesh. Drain the potatoes then transfer them into a food processor. Process! Get them to a mash consistency, adding the molasses, brown sugar blend, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt as you puree it all. Adjust the spices to your own personal taste. Put the mash in the fridge or freezer and do not move onto the rest of the recipe until this mash is cooled.

Spray a regular 9 inch pie pan with some cookie spray. Take your pecans, dried plums, and chia seeds and put them into an (empty) food processor. Pulse a few times. Add the syrup. Pulse a few more times until you have a crumbly consistency (not powder! resist the urge!). Scoop that out and spread into the prepared pie pan. Bring out your your sweet potato mash. Spread the sweet potato mash over the crust into a nice even layer. Toss it in the freezer.

Clean out your food processor or blender or whatever fun thinger you use. Throw the frozen banana chunks in there. Puree for a little. Add the milk. Puree more. Add the vanilla extract and the sugar and keep pureeing until you like the consistency. Add more milk if you want to.

Take out your pie from the freezer once again and spread the ice cream over your sweet potato mash layer. Put it in the freezer. Before it’s completely rock hard, take a knife and make the slice cuts (it’s a little hard once it’s eating-ready frozen). Let it freeze til pretty hard before eating. Eat that dope shit, yo.

NUTRITION (per 1/12th slice): 168 calories // 24g carbs // 8g fat // 3g protein // 5g fiber // 7g sugar

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