Pumpkin Pie
I was responsible for making the pies for my family’s Thanksgiving celebration this year. I made a cinnamon apple pie with raisins and a crumb topping, which you will see here on the blog soon, as well as this pumpkin pie. I searched for quite a while before deciding upon this recipe. I ended up modifying the recipe just a bit, to make it just a little healthier (but it’s still pie, so it’s still plenty indulgent). I substituted whole milk for part of the heavy whipping cream, and decreased the amount of sugar.
I was so pleased with the results, that this will now be my go-to pumpkin pie recipe. The pie had a wonderfully smooth texture with the perfect amount of pumpkin and spice flavors. If you are planning to make pie for an upcoming holiday celebration, I highly recommend this recipe. Or, you can always save it for next Thanksgiving!
Pumpkin Pie
Makes one pie
Ingredients:
- One recipe flaky pie dough
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- One 15-oz. can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
Directions:
- Roll out pie dough to a 14- to 15-inch circle. Transfer to a pie dish by gently wrapping the dough around a rolling pin and then carefully unrolling it. Gently press dough down into pie dish and trim excess dough around edges, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Fold the edges under and crimp to make a decorative edge. Chill unbaked crust in freezer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and position oven rack in bottom third of oven.
- Line the chilled pie shell with foil, pressing the foil firmly and smoothly into the crevices of the pan. Fill the foil with pie weights or uncooked rice, making sure the weights reach up the sides of the pan (the center does not need to be quite as full). Bake for 20 minutes, until the foil comes away from the dough easily. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking the empty pie shell for 6-10 more minutes, until lightly golden. Transfer to a rack and cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- While the pie crust is baking, prepare the filling. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl to break them up. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt and whisk to blend evenly. Whisk in cream, milk, and both sugars. Strain the mixture through a strainer into a medium saucepan. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until custard mixture is thoroughly blended.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula to prevent the eggs from scrambling, about 7-9 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the hot custard into the warm pre-baked pie shell. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the custard is set. You will know it’s done when the center of the pan looks firm and moves in one piece if you gently tap the sides of the pan. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool completely, about 2 hours.
Recipe adapted from Sur la Table
