About This Banoffee Pie
Traditional banoffee pie recipes can be overly sweet, but this gluten free and vegan banoffee pie version has a sophisticated and refined balance of flavors.
The vanilla whipped cream is light and airy, with no added sugar to balance the rich and sweet caramel sauce.
The coffee ganache provides a slightly bitter contrast to the sweetness of dairy free caramel sauce and banana.
The classic banoffee pie doesn’t contain coffee, but adding coffee to this banana caramel pie is not unusual.
Why not? Coffee and caramel go together perfectly.
Components of the Pie
This dessert has three main components: a gluten-free graham cracker crust, caramelized banana, and coffee-white chocolate ganache topped with vanilla whipped cream.
Before assembling the components, let’s break them down one by one.
The Gluten Free Vegan Pie Crust
A delicious pie begins with a fantastic crust. This banoffee pie recipe uses a homemade gluten free and vegan graham cracker crust.
The homemade graham crackers are lightly spiced with cinnamon, olive oil instead of dairy free butter, and muscovado sugar instead of white processed sugar.
Caramelized Bananas
It’s not Banoffee without bananas. The best way to incorporate bananas into this caramel pie recipe is to marinate them in warm vegan caramel sauce.
Sure, you can put fresh banana slices in, but infusing them with caramel cream is the way to go if you want to bring out the best in the banana.
Coffee Ganache
The coffee ganache filling adds a rich, slightly bitter element to balance the sweetness of the caramel and banana. Most dairy free white chocolate is too sweet, so coffee is crucial to balance the sweetness.
Coffee complements the sweetness of the caramel and bananas, giving the pie a deeper, more complex taste.
The ganache is smooth and rich. It’s not too strong, but it provides a nice contrast to balance the sweetness of the dessert.
Sugar Free Whipped Cream
The pie is topped with a light vanilla whipped cream without added sugar.
Most gluten and dairy free desserts are loaded with sugar, but in this vegan, gluten free banoffee pie, skipping the sugar in the whipped cream is necessary to offset the sweetness of the caramel.
Substitution Table
| Original Ingredients | Substitute With |
|---|---|
| Homemade Vegan Graham Cracker | S’moreables Graham Style Crackers (DF/GF) |
| Felchlin Vegan White Chocolate 38% | Pascha Vegan White Chocolate |
| Flora Heavy Cream 31% fat | Silk or Califia Farm Heavy Cream (GF/DF) |
| Flora+ Plant Butter | Violife Unsalted Plant Butter |
| Segafredo Coffee Granules | Instant Coffee Powder |
Process Steps
Gluten Free & Vegan Pie Crust
- Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Use a food processor or put them in a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Mix the crumbs with melted vegan butter until the texture resembles wet sand. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie dish, spreading it evenly across the base and sides.
- Freeze or chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
Caramelized Banana
- Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep amber color. This should take about 6-8 minutes.
- Once the sugar is melted and golden, turn the heat low and carefully add the heavy cream. It will bubble up rapidly, so stir quickly and carefully.
- Stir in the butter until it melts and combines with the sauce. Add a pinch of salt and vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Slice the bananas into 1/4-inch thick rounds, then marinate them in half of the caramel sauce.
- Save the other half of the caramel sauce for toppings.
Coffee Ganache
- In a saucepan, dissolve coffee granules with heavy cream, then heat until it starts to boil.
- Pour the hot coffee cream over the chopped vegan white chocolate in 3 batches. Stir until the chocolate melts and is smooth and glossy. Cover and set aside.
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- After the coffee ganache layer sets, whip the heavy cream with vanilla using a hand mixer until it becomes light and forms a stiff peak.
Pie Assembly
- Once the crust is chilled and firm, arrange a layer of the caramelized banana to cover the base of the crust.
- Spread the coffee ganache on the caramelized banana to fill the crust. Spread the ganache evenly, then chill for about 30 minutes or until it sets and firm.
- Finish the pie by piping the vanilla whipped cream over the coffee ganache. Use a St Honore piping tip to pipe a straight-line pattern. Place some caramelized sliced banana on top, then drizzle the remaining caramel sauce between the piped whipped cream. Lightly dust the sides with cacao powder.
- Allow the pie to sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Vegan Banoffee Pie With Coffee Ganache
Equipment
- Tart Pan removable bottom (22cm/9 in)
- Digital scale
- Hand mixer
- St Honoree piping tip optional
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 240 g homemade vegan graham cracker or S’moreables Graham Style Crackers
- 150 g melted vegan butter GF
Caramelized Banana
- 110 g sugar
- 30 ml water
- 70 g heavy cream DF/GF
- 70 g flora plant butter DF/GF
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3 medium bananas, sliced
Coffee Ganache
- 160 g dairy free heavy cream
- 10 g instant coffee powder
- 300 g vegan white chocolate 38%
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 250 g cream Whipped
- 2 g vanilla powder or 1 vanilla pod
Instructions
Pie Crust
- Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Use a food processor or put them in a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Mix the crumbs with melted vegan butter until the texture resembles wet sand. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie dish, spreading it evenly across the base and sides.
- Freeze or chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
Caramelized Banana
- Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep amber color. This should take about 6-8 minutes.
- Once the sugar is melted and golden, turn the heat low and carefully add the heavy cream. It will bubble up rapidly, so stir quickly and carefully.
- Stir in the butter until it melts and combines with the sauce. Add a pinch of salt and vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Slice the bananas into 1/4-inch thick rounds, then marinate them in half of the caramel sauce
- Save the other half of the caramel sauce for toppings.
Coffee Ganache
- In a saucepan, dissolve coffee granules with heavy cream, then heat until it starts to boil.
- Pour the hot coffee cream over the chopped vegan white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts and is smooth and glossy. Cover and set aside.
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- After the coffee ganache layer sets, whip the heavy cream with vanilla using a hand mixer until it becomes light and forms a stiff peak.
Banoffee Pie Assembly
- Once the crust is chilled and firm, arrange a layer of the caramelized banana to cover the base of the crust.
- Spread the coffee ganache on the caramelized banana to fill the crust. Spread the ganache evenly, then chill for about 30 minutes or until it sets and firm.
- Finish the pie by piping the vanilla whipped cream over the coffee ganache. Use a St Honore piping tip to pipe a straight-line pattern. Place some caramelized sliced banana on top, then drizzle the remaining caramel sauce between the piped whipped cream. Lightly dust the sides with cacao powder.
- Allow the pie to sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
- If you add the boiling hot coffee and cream to the white chocolate, the ganache may split. To save it, use a hand blender to smooth it again.
- If you’re struggling to find certain ingredients, you might consider looking for them here — BakeFree Products Recommendations
2 thoughts on “Vegan Banoffee Pie With Coffee Ganache”
Delicious!
Thanks, Gian! I know you like coffee 😊
Will bring more cakes to taste!