Coconut Cream Tartlets

Coconut cream pie was my favorite flavor of pie before I was vegan. So you would think that I would have make a vegan version at one point, but I never did! It's been 11 years and I haven't had one bite. This borderline blasphemous reality check made me run right to the store for ingredients.

Creamy coconut cream filling folded with loads of shredded coconut over a vanilla cookie crust and topped with dollops of coconut whipped cream.

Coconut Cream Tartlets
Crust:
14 vanilla sandwich cookies
2 tbl maple sugar crystals or maple syrup
2 tbl soy free earth balance vegan butter, melted

Filling:
1/2 cup maple syrup
1-13.5oz can coconut milk, divided
3 tbl cornstarch
4 oz silken firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 1/2 cup raw unweetened shredded coconut
1 tbl soy free earth balance vegan butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

1-15oz can coconut cream, chilled
2 cups organic powdered sugar
1/2 tsp maple extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbl toasted unsweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 325.
Grind the cookies and sugar crystals(if using) in a food processor, add the butter and stir to combine. If using maple syrup, grind the cookies into a fine powder first, then add the maple syrup and melted butter.
Press into 4 greased mini pie pans or a 9" spring form pan. Bake for 8 minutes until toasted and let cool.

To prepare the filling:
Add the maple syrup to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup coconut milk and bring back to a boil.
Combine the remaining coconut milk, cornstarch and tofu in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Add the slurry to the coconut milk/maple syrup mixture and boil for 2-3 minutes, whisking until thick and smooth. Remove from heat and add the coconut, butter and vanilla. Pour into the cooled tart shells and chill for at least 2 hours up to overnight.

Whip the cold coconut cream, powdered sugar, maple extract and vanilla for 5 minutes until thick. Top over the chilled pie filling and garnish with toasted coconut flakes.