Here she is in all her glory, ladies and gentlemen, I present my favorite Pumpkin Pie (made with a real pumpkin)!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Pumpkin Pie from scratch
- One small or medium pie pumpkin
- 1 recipe pie crust (recipe here)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 eggs
- whipped cream for serving
8-10 servings
Make pumpkin purée: cut a medium-small sugar pumpkin in half and crape out the insides. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on the lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F (200°C) until a fork can easily pierce them, about an hour. Remove from oven, let cool. Scoop out the pulp and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth; set aside. Raise oven temp to 425°F (210°C).
Prepare the pie crust (recipe here). Remove the disk from the refrigerator and place on a clean, smooth, lightly floured surface. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before rolling out. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 12 inch circle, to a thickness of about 1/8 of an inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim edge, leaving a 1-inch overhang: fold edge under and crimp as desired. Refrigerate 30 minutes and freeze for 10 minutes before baking.
Line crust with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans; bake in preheated oven at 425°F (210°C) until crust is set, 15-18 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, and continue to bake until bottom of crust is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Lower oven temp to 375°F (190°C).
Measure out 18 oz (2 1/4 cups) of pumpkin purée and transfer to a nonstick pan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, spices and salt and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. If there are still clumps in the mixture, blend again. Transfer the spice and pumpkin mix to a large bowl. Beat with electric hand mixer while slowly adding the milk and cream. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after every addition. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked pie crust and transfer to hot oven.
Bake at 375°F (190°C) until center is set but slightly wobbly, 30-35 minutes. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream.
