If you like Golden Milk, then this Turmeric Pie is for you. It’s custardy, a tad spicy, sweet and crunchy, and your kitchen will smell heavenly when the spices are simmering. 

Sharing is caring, but let’s face it, sharing is hard. Remember when your friend or kid sister picked up the toy you had discarded? Suddenly, it was the only toy on your mind, and you had to have it. I still owe Shannon an apology for that fateful day when I opened the car door and set my balloon rocketing into space. “That sucks about your balloon,” I replied way too quickly, but we both knew that was a blatant lie. Listen, I’m not proud.  

Fast forward to middle school, and for a brief stint, everyone seemed to share everything: clothes, boyfriends, answers to the test, but then by college, competition grew fiercer. And if you were anything like this control freak, then sharing responsibilities presented its fair share of problems.

These days, the main way I try to share is through food, most specifically dessert. However, between gluten sensitivities, grain intolerances, dairy strikes and alarming nut allergies, sharing is more than just hard. It’s downright risky. (I’m not trying to send anyone into an anaphylactic shock!)  

You won’t be able to share this Turmeric Pie with everyone, but it’s a step in the right direction. It’s dairy free, but it’s not vegan. It’s gluten free, but it’s not nut free. It’s an attempt to share, and if you really know your crowd, it just might work. The main offender for my crowd was gluten, so this Turmeric Pie did the trick. 

This Turmeric Pie was a palate-cleansing finale to a night of feasting with friends. This Turmeric Pie was a transition to a very competitive game of Fish Bowl that most certainly did not favor sharing. That game favored shit-talking, gloating, wild accusations and sore losing. But as a member of the victorious team, I obviously rose above the childish antics with grace and poise.   

So hold on tight to the toys you want, helium balloons and your convictions about how a project should roll, and save all that sharing for the dessert course. 

Cheers,

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Turmeric Pie with a Gluten Free Crust

Recipe from Bon Appétit

About this Recipe: Think of this as Golden Milk Pie. This dessert is gluten- and dairy-free. You’ll need a 9-inch pie pan for this recipe. Turmeric Pie can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Crust Ingredients

1 1/4 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup old-fashioned gluten-free oats
2 Tablespoons coconut sugar
1 large egg white
A pinch of kosher salt
A pinch of crushed black pepper

Topping Ingredients

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon pure honey
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Filling Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
16 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 3-inch cinnamon sticks, lightly crushed
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons plus 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, divided

4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon pure honey, divided

3 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil

For the Crust:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Process shredded coconut, almonds, oats, and coconut sugar in a food processor until very finely chopped, about 2 minutes.

Add egg white, salt and pepper, and pulse until dough begins to form a ball.

Using damp fingers, press dough into bottom and 1″ up sides of pie pan; smooth with a flat-bottomed measuring cup.

Bake crust until evenly browned and toasty-smelling, 20–25 minutes. Let cool.

For the Topping:

Meanwhile, toss coconut flakes, honey, and turmeric on a small rimmed baking sheet until coated. Bake coconut topping until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

Note: Topping can be made 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

For the Filling:

Bring coconut milk, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, ginger, pepper, and 1½ teaspoons turmeric to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let infuse 20 minutes.

Combine egg yolks, cornstarch, salt, and 1/2 cup honey in a large bowl. Whisk until very smooth.

Stir together remaining ½ teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon honey in a small bowl; set aside.

Whisking constantly, strain infused coconut milk through a fine-mesh sieve into egg yolk mixture; discard solids. Return custard to saucepan.

Heat over medium and cook, whisking constantly, until custard is thick and bubbling, 3–4 minutes.

Remove from heat and, working quickly, add coconut oil and stir until smooth. Immediately pour custard into crust, filling as high as the crust allows without spilling over.

Drizzle honey-turmeric syrup over and swirl decoratively by dragging the handle of a small spoon or chopstick through filling several times.

Press a large piece of plastic wrap onto surface of pie and cool until set, at least 2 hours. Top with coconut flake mixture before serving.

Enjoy!