Rich Flavorful Pumpkin Pie Recipes

THE GREAT PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Place cranberries in a large bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of sugar and the water to a boil and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Remove pan from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Pour sugar syrup over the cranberries and stir. Let the cranberries sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight (ideal). You'll notice the sugar syrup is quite thick after this amount of time. Drain the cranberries from the syrup and pour 1 cup of sugar on top. Toss the cranberries, coating them all the way around. Pour the sugared cranberries on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet and let them dry for at least 2 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator. You'll have extra, but they're great for eating or as garnish on other dishes. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Make the pie crust through step 5 according to my directions, tips, and pictures in my pie crust recipe. Or use store-bought.
• Whisk the pumpkin, 3 eggs, and brown sugar together until combined. Add the cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, cream, and milk. Vigorously whisk until everything is combined.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Remove 1 disc of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch deep dish pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. With a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang of crust and discard. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers, if desired. Brush edges lightly with egg wash mixture. Line the pie crust with parchment paper. Crunching up the parchment paper is helpful so that you can easily shape it into the crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. (Note that you will need at least 2 standard sets of pie weights to fit.) Make sure the weights/beans are evenly distributed around the pie dish. Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper/pie weights.
• Pour pumpkin pie filling into the warm pre-baked crust. Only fill the crust about 3/4 of the way up. (If using a deep dish pie dish as instructed, you should only have a little filling leftover. Use extra to make mini pies with leftover pie dough scraps if you'd like.) Bake the pie until the center is almost set, about 55-60 minutes give or take. A small part of the center will be wobbly - that's ok. After 25 minutes of baking, be sure to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield to prevent the edges from getting too brown. Check for doneness at minute 50, and then 55, and then 60, etc.
• Once done, transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely for at least 3 hours. Decorate with sugared cranberries and pie crust leaves (see note). You'll definitely have leftover cranberries - they're tasty for snacking. Serve pie with whipped cream if desired. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

RICH PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Line a 9" pie tin with pastry and place foil on top. Fill with dry beans and bake in a 400°F. oven for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil.
• Combine the pumpkin with the sugar, eggs, cream, seasonings and cognac and blend well. Pour through a strainer into the pie shell. Sprinkle with chopped candied ginger and bake in a 375°F. oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the pumpkin is set. Serve slightly warm with cheese or whipped cream, or both.

CLASSIC PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the shortening and 3 tablespoons butter and pulse into pebble-size pieces. Add the remaining butter and pulse until pea-size pieces form. Add the ice water; pulse a few times to combine. If the dough doesn't hold together when you squeeze it, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk; wrap tightly. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Tuck the overhanging dough under itself; crimp the edges with a fork. Chill until very firm, 20 minutes in the freezer or 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚. Line the pie crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust is light brown around the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and continue baking until the crust is light brown all over, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Break the cinnamon sticks in half and put in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Toast, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the evaporated milk, ginger, nutmeg and cloves and cook, whisking, until the milk comes to a simmer, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep, 15 minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks and add the pumpkin, sugar and salt; whisk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs until just combined.
• Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and bake until set and no longer wet and jiggly in the center, 50 to 60 minutes. (If the crust is getting too dark, cover loosely with foil.) Transfer the pie to a rack to cool completely.

HOLIDAY PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• PREPARE THE FRESH ROASTED PUMPKIN: Preheat oven to 375°F . Slice one medium to large sugar pumpkin carefully in half using a sharp or serrated knife. Scoop out all of the seeds and strings using an ice cream scoop. Season pumpkin flesh with a small pinch of kosher salt. Next, sprinkle lightly with fine granulated sugar. Place pumpkin halves cut-side down in a roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with 1/4 inch water. Place roasting pan with pumpkin on the center rack. Bake for one hour. Allow pumpkin to cool. Raise oven temperature to 425°F . Scoop out pumpkin flesh. Puree pumpkin well in a food processor. Mixture should be the consistency of baby food. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Transfer to a saucepan and simmer uncovered on stovetop for 10-15 minutes until the consistency of thick canned pumpkin puree. Remove from heat to cool. Measure 1 2/3 cups of puree and set aside.
• PREPARE THE CRUST: Measure 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt into bowl of food processor. Process on high for 5 seconds. Grate 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter into small strips and add to flour. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons cold shortening in spoonfuls. Process for 5 seconds. Mix 3 1/2 tablespoons cold ice water with 1 teaspoon white vinegar and pour evenly over mixture. Process on high for 5 seconds. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour. Process high for 5 seconds. Place mixture on flat surface covered with waxed paper. Roughly mold into disc shape. Cover dough with waxed paper and roll just until dough is an evenly thick circle, about 1/8-inch thick or less. Remove top half of waxed paper. Turn dough-side down into 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Peel away remaining waxed paper. Fit dough evenly into pan without pressing too hard in any area. Trim pastry slightly larger than the pan and flute edges if desired (if dough becomes too soft, temper in the freezer for 2 minutes and continue until finished). Lightly move a rolling pin over top surface crust border to give a uniform appearance; Place into freezer for 10 minutes. Remove shell from freezer. Place small, light butter plate over middle of frozen dough. Bake for 15 minutes at 375°F . Remove from oven and remove small plate from center of crust with tongs. Place shell on cooling rack. Reduce oven setting to 350°F .
• PREPARE THE FILLING: In a small bowl, mix the following ingredients until clump-free: 2/3 cup golden brown sugar (loosely packed), 2 1/8 teaspoons Recipe #490865, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. Beat 2 extra large eggs lightly in a large mixing bowl. Separate an additional extra large egg and beat in reserved egg yolk. Whisk in 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/3 cup grade a pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons dark rum, and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. Whisk the dry spice mixture into to the egg mixture. Whisk combined mixture gradually into the pumpkin puree until smooth and thoroughly combined.
• POUR mixture into the prepared pie crust.
• BAKE pie at 350°F for 55-65 minutes, until edges are set and center appears slightly soft (oven temperatures vary, so adjust accordingly). Allow pie to cool completely on a rack, uncovered.
• PREPARE THE TOPPING: Whip 1 1/2 cups whipping cream using an electric mixer on high speed, while gradually adding 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, until cream begins to thicken. Add 1/2 tablespoon dark rum and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Continue whipping until cream is thick, light and fluffy but not overbeaten (you want whipped cream, not butter!).
• TOP THE PIE (OPTION 1): Carefully spread whipped cream on cooled pie using a frosting spatula, leaving crust untouched, decorating in swirls.
• TOP THE PIE (OPTION 2): Cut pie into serving-sized wedges and place onto serving plate(s). Fill a pastry bag with whipped cream. Using a decorator tip, carefully squeeze whipped cream into a swirled dollop onto cooled pie.
• GARNISH whipped topping with a very light dusting of Recipe #490865.
• SLICE, serve and enjoy!

KILLER PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt in a 9 inch pie pan, and make a well in the center. Pour the oil and rice milk into the well, then mix with a fork until a dough forms. Use your hands to press the mixture evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan. Crimp the edge of the crust.
• Stir together the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a large bowl; set aside. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, vanilla, and rice milk in a separate bowl until evenly blended. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until fully blended. Pour into the prepared crust and place on a cookie sheet in the preheated oven.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. The center may still wiggle a little but will firm up out of the oven. Cool on a metal rack.