Vegan Meringue Topped Spiced Pumpkin Pie

1.    Preheat oven to 180 °C.

2.    Steam pumpkin in leftover coconut milk and water until cooked through, drain and set aside.  

3.    Blend pumpkin, coconut milk, coconut sugar, spices and cornstarch until very smooth. 

For the Crust:

4.    Add flour, sugar and salt to food processor and pulse a few times to combine.

5.    Add cold vegan butter and coconut oil, and process for about 10 seconds, until it resembles coarse meal.

6.    Now while the food processor is running, drizzle in ice-cold water. When it begins to clump together, stop. You may need to add one more tablespoon of ice water for it to come together.

 7.    Shape dough on a lightly floured surface and shape in a ball, flatten slightly, wrap and place in fridge for 30 minutes or until cool. 

8.    Roll dough out and place into a pie dish brushed with coconut oil.

 9.    Gently push pie crust around the dish, trimming off the excess.  Refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

10.    Spoon filling into the pie dish and bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until cooked through, it will still be a bit wobbly but will be golden in colour. Set aside to cool completely.

For the Vegan Meringue Topping:

11.    Pour reserved chickpea liquid (aguafaba) in a saucepan and reduce until a ⅓ cup of liquid remains. Set aside until completely cooled. 

12.    Pour cooled liquid into a stand-up mixing bowl along with the cream and tartar, and whisk until a thick, soft peak mixture has formed, about 15 – 20 minutes.

13.    Gradually add one tablespoon of blitzed coconut sugar to the blender and whisk until granules have been completely incorporated before adding another spoonful. This will take a while, but it’s worth it. 
Top with meringue and place under a hot grill or torch with a chefs’ torch quickly for colour, and top with chopped nuts and pomegranate seeds.