Fierce Foodie: Something Sweet To Eat While Reading

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a blogumn by Roya Hamadani

Hobo pie isn’t exactly a dessert name that inspires confidence.  It kind of sounds like some canned fruit thrown into a pie tin and covered with a leftover pancake.  A quick recipe search confirmed my suspicions; hobo pie is generally white bread surrounding a sweet or savory filling and toasted over a campfire.  My recipe for hobo pie is quite different, and far less logical.

In Pittsburgh we’ve got a great vegetarian place called Zenith.  Half vintage store and half restaurant, for Sunday brunch they serve amazingly good, creamy pies made with tofu in place of eggs and dairy products.  My friend Missy Kulik helped me recreate their peanut butter chocolate tofu pie with a recipe that goes by the moniker “Hobo Pie.”  Though it’s doubtful that there are too many hobos making animal product-free desserts in the great outdoors.

Hobo pie, however misleading a name, may garner more interest than “peanut butter tofu pie,” which makes some people start to shift their weight from foot to foot and look a bit cagey.  Too bad for them if they refuse a taste, and the more for you!  This pie is creamy peanut butter chocolate goodness.  If this recipe wets your appetite, My Sweet Vegan: passionate about dessert by Hannah Kaminsky should satisfy your craving for more animal friendly desserts.

Hobo Pie

For the pie crust:  Use ready made graham cracker or Oreo pie crust, or take 3-4 tbsp maple syrup and mix with 1 tsp oil, then combine with crushed graham crackers and press into 9 inch pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Puree silken tofu (or use regular tofu with 1-2 Tbsp soy milk) in a blender.

Add 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar and blend until creamy.

Pour into piecrust and smooth with a spatula.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cool for one hour at room temperature.

Chill for 2 hours in refrigerator.

Place milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips on top of pie in a pattern or at random.  Return to fridge for at least another hour before serving.  The chips will adhere to the pie as if by magic.

Eat all of it within 3 days or the crust gets soggy.  But I doubt it will stick around that long!