Raw Hazelnut Chocolate Cream Pie

I'm not a fan of chocolate pie desserts (prefer fruity flavors), but this Hazelnut Chocolate Cream Pie is delicious!!!  Raw Vegan and guilt free.  :-)  My mother-in-law, who is a vegetarian and spoils us with lots of love and yummy food, taught us how to make this. Thank you mom!!!

Ingredients:
(FOR THE CRUST)
* 1 cup hazelnuts
* 1 cup macadamia nuts
* ¼ tsp. vanilla
* 1/8 sea salt
* 2 ½ ounces finely chopped dates (approx. 5 fresh medjool dates)

(FOR THE FILLING)
* ½ ounce Irish Moss
* 1 ½ cups hazelnut milk *
* ¼ cup agave nectar
* ¼ well-packed, finely chopped dates
* 1/3 cup cacao powder
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1/8 tsp sea salt
* 1 tbs. + 1 tsp. lecithin
* ¼ cup + 2 tbs. unscented coconut butter


Directions:
1. MAKING HAZELNUT MILK In your blender (preferably a VitaMix) liquefy ¾ cup of hazelnuts with 1 ½ cups water. Blend 1-2 minutes. Let steep 5-10 minutes then strain using a nut milk bag (or cheese cloth). Yields 1 ½ cups milk.

2. MAKING THE CRUST In the bowl of your food processer fitted with an “S” blade, process hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, vanilla, and salt until crumbly. Continue processing while adding small amounts of the dates until the crust sticks together. Press the crust into a greased (with unscented coconut oil) 9-inch pie pan.

3. MAKING THE FILLING Blend Irish Moss with ½ cup of the hazelnut milk until smooth and thick. Add remaining hazelnut milk, agave, dates, vanilla, salt, and cacao powder. Blend until smooth. Add lecithin and coconut butter, blending until well incorporated. Pour into prepared crust. Place in the refrigerator or freezer until set (about an hour).

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(MERINGUE)
Makes 2 ½ cups

¾ oz. irish moss, rinsed and soaked 12-24 hours
½ cup water
1 cup coconut milk*
½ cup coconut meat (young thai)
½ c. soaked cashews
¼ c. plus 2 T. agave nectar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 ½ tsp. lecithin
½ c. coconut butter (oil)

Blend moss and water until smooth and thick. Add coconut milk, meat, cashews, agave, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Blend till smooth. Add lecithin and coconut butter until well incorporated. Pour into a wide, shallow pan and set in fridge for up to three hours. When set, top pie, and if you like, peak with the back of a spoon.

*coconut milk
Blend meat and water from 1 young Thai coconut till very smooth.

~"I Am Grateful ~ Recipes of Café Gratitude".