A GATHERING FOR THE SOUL

Thanksgiving, a time of year that brings so much warmth into household as the fire in our soul becomes nostalgic towards our endearing friends and family & our simplest of treasures. The year begins to fade from view, but we grasp onto the timeline of the good and the bad, of how we have grown and gone back to our past, and of how lovely life can truly be. Being thankful shouldn't be a yearly tradition, it should be constant. The problem with the current time is the threat of a rude awakening of war. War is something I am not thankful for and in the tide of hate spreading around the world, I know that this Thanksgiving will be another blessing that will not be taken for granted with all that surrounds. Sitting around the bulky dining room table that is dressed in a diy color table cloth and laughter among the abundant lunch will be cherished forever.

One of my favorite goodies from Thanksgiving is my grandmother's homemade cranberry sauce, but I wanted to transform a vintage idea into a modern minimalist dessert all walks can enjoy. I woke up from a dream the other night, where I had this pie right below my words. I knew it was something sent from a magical place and I threw it together in about 30 minutes. This Maple Cream Pie is far easier than a regular cream pie and clears away all of the iffy ingredients like gelatin. The crust is gluten free, but it does not show in the flavor. It tastes like a perfect oatmeal cookie and the crunch compliments the light maple filling. Give this pie a run through and let me know what you and your guests think!

Maple Cream Pie with a Frosted Citrus Cranberry Center & Gluten Free Nut and Oat Crust

Ingredients:

// Crust //

• 1 cup of steel cut oats
• 1/4 cup of walnuts
• 1/4 cup of almonds
• 3 tablespoons of raw, organic honey
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1/2 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons of apple juice

// Jam //

• 1/2 quart of cranberries, washed
• 1 cup of orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 4 tablespoons of raw, organic honey

// Cream //

• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 1/2 cup of room temperature cream cheese
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (optional; replace with molasses)
• 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 375'F. Grind the oats in a food processor until they are fine like a flour. Pour into a large bowl. Grind the nuts in a food processor until they are small bits and pour into the bowl. Melt the honey and coconut oil down in a small sauce pan or the microwave just until melted, pour in the bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with a spoon until fully incorporated. 
2. Spread the crust evenly along the bottom of a springform pan. You must use a springform pan or the crust will crumble when you go to remove it. Bake it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool before removing from the pan.
3. While the crust is baking, combine all of the jam elements in a small sauce pot. Boil and reduce over medium heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. You may have to adjust the sweetness depending on how tart your cranberries are. Cool the mixture before topping the pie.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream until extremely stiff peaks form. You almost want the cream to be slightly over whipped to establish good body. In a separate large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until it is fluffy. Mix in the maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and spices. Carefully fold in half of the whipped cream and keep folding until combined. Add in the second addition and fold until combined.
5. Gently remove the crust from the springform pan and place onto a cake stand. Spread the maple cream around the crust leaving a small hole in the center for the jam. After you are happy with the cream, scoop the jam out into the hole. Refrigerate the pie for 2 hours to set up properly.