Pumpkin Seed Piecrust Recipes

GINGER PUMPKIN PIE WITH PUMPKIN SEED CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and toast for 5 to 8 minutes, until you hear them start to pop.
• Chop 1/2 cup of the pumpkin seeds by pulsing in a food processor. Mix with the graham cracker crumbs, ground ginger and granulated sugar. Stir in the melted butter. Pat this mixture firmly into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch pie pan and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Bake the crust for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
• Mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolks, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Stir in the crystallized ginger and mix until smooth. Pour into the baked graham-cracker crust and bake about an hour, until the filling is set.
• Remove pie from oven and scatter remaining pumpkin seeds on top. Cool to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE, PECAN, AND PUMPKIN SEED PIE WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• Make the crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse gingersnaps, pecans, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until dough sticks together when pressed. Transfer to pie pan and press evenly into bottom and up sides with a flat measuring cup. Bake crust until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Make the filling:
• Spread pecans and pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in 350°F oven until warmed through and lightly fragrant, 5 minutes; let cool.
• Meanwhile, heat butter, chocolate, and cream in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stirring, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until frothy. Whisk in salt and 1/4 cup molasses until smooth, then slowly add chocolate mixture, whisking constantly, until combined. Stir in half of toasted pecans and pumpkin seeds. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Arrange remaining pecans and pumpkin seeds evenly over filling.
• Bake pie until filling is set around the edges but jiggles slightly in the center when shaken, 25-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1 Tbsp. molasses and 1 tsp. water in a small bowl.
• Remove pie from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Using pastry brush, immediately brush surface with molasses mixture to glaze; let cool before serving.
• Do Ahead
• Pie can be made 1 day ahead; store at room temperature.

PUMPKIN PIE WITH PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the pie dough to a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork and line with foil and pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until the bottom is dry, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the half-and-half, 2/3 cup sugar, the eggs and pie spice in a medium bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin. Pour the filling into the crust.
• Bake the pie until the center is just slightly jiggly but not loose, about 1 hour. Transfer to the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray. Cook the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan a few times, until the mixture is light brown, about 5 minutes. (Brush down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.) Stir in the pepitas (the mixture will be thick and sticky). Stir in the salt and cook, stirring, until the mixture thins and turns dark brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth out any clumps. Let the brittle cool completely.
• Beat the heavy cream in a medium bowl with a mixer on medium speed until medium peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Top the pie with the whipped cream; break up the brittle and sprinkle on top.

PUMPKIN TART WITH ANISE-SEED CRUST

Steps:

• Make tart shell:
• Prepare dough, adding anise seeds to dry ingredients, and chill as directed in dough recipe. Roll out dough into a 14-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, then fit into tart pan and trim excess dough. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
• Lightly prick bottom of shell with a fork, then line with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake shell until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 15 minutes.
• Remove foil and weights and bake shell until golden all over, about 15 minutes more. Cool completely in pan. Leave oven on.
• Fill and bake tart:
• Whisk together pumpkin, sugar spices, and salt in large bowl. Whisk in eggs, then cream.
• Pour filling into cooled tart shell and bake until puffed about 1 1/2 inches from edge and center is just set, 40 to 45 minutes. (Cover edge of tart with foil if browning too quickly.) Cool in pan, about 2 hours. (Tart will continue to set as it cools.)