Pumpkin Pie
The iconic fall dessert gets jazzed up with fall pastry leaves.
Pie
1 medium sized pumpkin or 2 cups canned pumpkin purée
1 ½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream or 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
½ cup (125 ml) packed dark brown sugar
1 can (14 ounce) condensed milk
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
2 eggs plus an additional egg yolk
2 teaspoons (10 ml) of cinnamon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground ginger
¼ teaspoon (1 ml) ground nutmeg
¼ cup (50 ml) raisins
Short Crust Pastry
4 cups (1000 ml) unbleached all purpose flour plus extra for rolling
pinch of salt
pinch of granulated sugar
1¼ cups (300 ml) chilled butter, cut into cubes
8-10 teaspoons (120-150ml) ice water
egg yolk, beaten, for egg wash
Short Crust Pastry
Combine the flour, salt, sugar.
Rub in the butter until the texture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the bowl and pour in about two-thirds of the cold water, mixing until you have a firm rough dough adding extra water if needed. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the fridge for 15 – 20 minutes.
Roll the dough to desired thickness. Drape over the pie tin and cut away excess pastry.
Cut out 6-8 leaf shapes from the remaining pastry. Score to make leaf veins realistic. Set aside.
Pumpkin Pie
Quarter the pumpkin and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (180°C) until tender, about an hour to an hour and a half.
Remove from oven, let cool, scoop out the pulp. Put the pulp through a food mill or food processor. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Combine condensed milk, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Beat the eggs and add to the mixture in bowl. Stir in the pumpkin purée, and mix in the cream. Gently whisk all the ingredients until smooth.
Prepare a pastry-lined pie pan. Dock the pastry by pricking it with a fork. Line the pastry with parchment paper. Fill with baking or ceramic beans and bake at 350°F or 180°C for 15 minutes to blind bake the crust. Remove from oven and discard the beans.
Pour pumpkin mixture into pie shell. Place pastry leaf shapes onto the pie. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack for about 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream.
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
