¼cupcoconut sugar, or sugar/sweetener of your choice
¼cupboiling water
6tablespooncoconut oil, melted if solid
For the filling:
1cupdried apricots
1cupraw cashews
2tablespooncoconut oil, melted if solid
2tablespoonlemon juice
Up to 1 cup boiling water
For the meringue topping:
¾cupaquafaba, (liquid from one 400g can of chickpeas)
¾cupcaster sugar
1teaspoonnatural vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180C (350F).
Line a 22cm (approx. 8.5 inch) spring form pie or tart tin with baking paper on the bottom, just to be safe.
Put dried apricots and raw cashews into a large bowl and cover with boiling water, set aside to soak for about 15 minutes.
Mix dry base ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add coconut oil and boiling water, and mix well with your hands until the mixture clumps together when squeezed.
Use your hands to press the mixture evenly into the bottom and sides of your pie tin. Finish with the back of a spoon or something smooth to get a smooth finish.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
While the base is baking, drain apricots and cashews, then add to a high speed blender or food processor. Add coconut oil and lemon juice, then blend while adding boiling water, until the mixture is thick and completely smooth (I used ¾ cup of water).
Scrape filling into the pie base and spread evenly.
Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the filling feels set and is lightly golden on top. The crust should be darker golden brown, but not burned.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
Turn the oven up to 250C (480F) and flick it to grill (broil).
Put the aquafaba into a large and perfectly clean mixing bowl (make sure it has no greasy residue).
Whip with an electric beater until thick and foamy, it'll take longer than egg whites but just keep going. Add sugar one or two tablespoonfuls at a time, and keep beating for another 10 minutes or so, until you've used all the sugar and you have a stiff, glossy meringue mixture. Add vanilla extract at the end and whip to combine.
Spoon dollops of meringue over the surface of the pie (or use a piping bag and do it daintily, if you prefer). I like to pile lots on and give it a pretty rustic finish. There'll be more meringue than you need - I had about ¼ of the mixture left over.
Put the pie in oven and watch it like a hawk! Seriously, don't walk away. It'll take 1-2 minutes to brown the peaks of the meringue, and it burns very easily! Take it out as soon as it's done.
Let the pie cool for 5-10 minutes before carefully removing the tin and serving.
This pie is best served right away, or at least on the day it's made. The base and filling are still just as nice the next day, but the meringue flops a little and isn't at its best anymore.