Caramel Cream Pie

Difficulty: Medium-Hard

I don’t really have a sweet tooth but making deluxe desserts is a real passion of mine. Pies, cupcakes, cheesecakes, cookies and brownies are all in my repertoire and I particularly enjoy giving baked treats on special occasions. In a previous post I touched on the concept of ‘creamth’ and this dessert is the epitome of that concept. Creamy, thick and rich caramel with a light, fluffy and creamy topping all atop a crispy and sweet base is what this Caramel Cream Pie is all about.

Ingredients

Base

• 12 Digestive biscuits
• 1/2 cup margarine (I used Nuttelex), melted
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar

Caramel Filling

• 1 can of Soymilke soy condensed milk
• 100 grams of margarine (I use Nuttelex)
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 2 tablespoons agar agar powder

Cream Topping

• 1 tub of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
• 1 tub of Soyatoo Whipping Cream
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• Whittakers Dark Chocolate to grate on top

Method

1. Grease a springform pan.
2. Crush the digestive biscuits until they’re really fine, stir in the sugar.
3. Add  the melted margarine and mix well.
4. Pour the mixture into the tin and press down firmly. Leave the crust a little higher around the edges, set aside.
5. In a saucepan, bring the Soymilke, Nuttelex and golden syrup to the boil, stirring constantly.
6. Turn down and simmer for about 8 minutes, continue stirring.
7. The caramel at this stage should start to thicken and darken.
8. Stir in the agar agar powder and allow too cook for a further 1 minute.
9. Remove from heat and pour the caramel on top of the base.
10. Allow to cool in the fridge.
11. In the meantime, combine the Tofutti, Soyatoo, icing sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix well with a fork until well combined.
12. Once cooled, remove the base from the fridge and pour the cream mixture on top. Even out with a spatula.
13. Grate some chocolate onto the top and place back into the fridge to cool until serving.

Variations: Add a layer of banana between the caramel and the cream to make Banoffee Pie.  You can even freeze this dessert for a more firm, ice creamy treat.