Use Tofu to Substitute for Evaporated Milk

How do I substitute for evaporated milk when making a nondairy pie? I get this question a lot, and I have no good answer. There's just no direct nondairy milk substitute for evaporated milk.

Here's a possible workaround, though. Bev Shaffer in the Cleveland Plain Dealer uses tofu as a replacement for milk in a pumpkin pie recipe. The tofu recommended is the boxed, silken variety, not the refrigerated tofu.

Ingredients:

18 oz silken extra firm tofu (Shaffer mentions the Mori-Nu brand, but other brands should work)
2 cups canned pumpkin
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*

*If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own by combining 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.

Unbaked 9 in pie crust


Directions:

Heat oven to 350º.

Drain the tofu and then blend it, using a food processor, until it is smooth.

Move the smooth tofu to a mixing bowl and add the pumpkin, honey, vanilla, and spice. Stir until well mixed.

Spoon the mixture into the pie crust.

Bake about 1 hour. The filling will still be soft at the end of that time, but it will firm as it cools.

Let stand for 15 minutes on wire cooking rack, then put into refrigerator to chill.


Let me know how it works out!