It's almost time to plan for Thanksgiving holiday meal and it won't be completed without a sweet note of American pumpkin dessert, be it pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, tart etc. As a pumpkin fan I am always keen to try something new with freshly made big batch of pumpkin puree. Pumpkin Custard Pie is an alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving dessert that I tested long time back. A silky smooth pie with fresh roasted pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice incorporated into the custard batter creates a flavorful festive delight.
Pumpkin custard pie is fairly rich because it has more eggs and yolks than regular pumpkin pie. Pumpkin custard mix baked in a pre-baked pie crust doesn't make crust soggy and at the same time custard sets perfectly. While crust is baked, heavy cream and milk are heated up just before pumpkin and egg mixture are added to it. Batter must be strained for its creamy texture before poured into the crust. Another important part is to make pie look festive. So I use fall leaf cutouts of extra pie dough and place around the edge of the pie crust. This pie is so delicious and a perfect sweet ending to a holiday meal. So whip up a batch for this Thanksgiving holiday.
Ingredients~
For the filling:
For the crust:
2 cups unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
1 (8 tbsp.) stick unsalted butter
6 tbsp. ice water or as needed
For the filling:
1/2 cup thick store bought or home made pumpkin puree
4 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, beaten (room temperature)
1 egg white, beaten
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla essence
1 tsp. pure vanilla essence
1/8 tsp. pumpkin spice
Method~
For the crust, keep ingredients as cold as possible. Mix the first 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add in the butter and using finger tips blend butter and flour mixture until mixture becomes coarse meal. Now pour 1 tbsp. cold water at a time until dough starts to stick together. Don't need the dough. Dough should be not too sticky but firm.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out the disk on a lightly floured surface to 12 inch round circle for a 9 inch pie dish. Dough should be about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to the pie dish. Pat the rolled dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. Trim the overhangs and save for cutouts. Roll out the trimmings on a lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes using a small leaf or cookie cutter. Chill the crust for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Pierce the dough all over with a fork so crust won't puff up while baking. Line the crust with a parchment paper. Add dry dried beans to fill the pan. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Brush with thin egg wash all over the crust and bake for a few minutes. Remove fro the oven.
For the filling, combine the whole milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium and bring to a boil. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, vanilla extract, 4 eggs, and yolk until smooth . Add the hot milk and whisk until thoroughly combined. Strain batter then pour into the warm pie crust. Tap on the counter lightly to pop air bubbles. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or just set. Rotate the baking sheet half way through for even baking. Custard pie should jiggle slightly in the center. Cool on a wire rack for completely. Brush leaf cutouts with egg white. Bake them in a parchment lined baking sheet fro 10 minutes or until brown. Place the cutouts around the edge of the pie crust. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream. Refrigerate unused portion covered with a plastic wrap. Happy Thanksgiving to our family to yours!
Note~For quick pumpkin puree, cut a half of a small fairy tail pumpkin or butternut squash into quarters, then peel and cut into small pieces. Cover with water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Drain and cool a little bit. Puree in a blender or food processor until creamy. Again strain through a cheese cloth or a mesh strainer to get rid of excess water. Use as needed and rest can be frozen for a couple of months.
Method~
For the crust, keep ingredients as cold as possible. Mix the first 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add in the butter and using finger tips blend butter and flour mixture until mixture becomes coarse meal. Now pour 1 tbsp. cold water at a time until dough starts to stick together. Don't need the dough. Dough should be not too sticky but firm.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Try to make round firm ball, then flatten to form a disk. Wrap it up with a clear plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out the disk on a lightly floured surface to 12 inch round circle for a 9 inch pie dish. Dough should be about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to the pie dish. Pat the rolled dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. Trim the overhangs and save for cutouts. Roll out the trimmings on a lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes using a small leaf or cookie cutter. Chill the crust for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Pierce the dough all over with a fork so crust won't puff up while baking. Line the crust with a parchment paper. Add dry dried beans to fill the pan. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Brush with thin egg wash all over the crust and bake for a few minutes. Remove fro the oven.
For the filling, combine the whole milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium and bring to a boil. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, vanilla extract, 4 eggs, and yolk until smooth . Add the hot milk and whisk until thoroughly combined. Strain batter then pour into the warm pie crust. Tap on the counter lightly to pop air bubbles. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or just set. Rotate the baking sheet half way through for even baking. Custard pie should jiggle slightly in the center. Cool on a wire rack for completely. Brush leaf cutouts with egg white. Bake them in a parchment lined baking sheet fro 10 minutes or until brown. Place the cutouts around the edge of the pie crust. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream. Refrigerate unused portion covered with a plastic wrap. Happy Thanksgiving to our family to yours!
Note~For quick pumpkin puree, cut a half of a small fairy tail pumpkin or butternut squash into quarters, then peel and cut into small pieces. Cover with water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Drain and cool a little bit. Puree in a blender or food processor until creamy. Again strain through a cheese cloth or a mesh strainer to get rid of excess water. Use as needed and rest can be frozen for a couple of months.
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