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Great Pumpkin Pie
Two years ago, i was a guest on the PBS show "Seasonings with Dede Wilson. " Whenever this show airs, usually pre Thanksgiving time, we get tons of requests for these two recipes. Here they are now!
Oven Temperature: 375°F.
Baking Time: 50 to 60 minutes
Serves: 8
In this recipe, I cook the pumpkin and spices before baking, which makes for a more mellow and pleasing flavor. Puréeing the pumpkin in a food processor produces a unusually silky texture.
The crunchy bottom crust is a result of creating a layer of gingersnaps and ground pecans to absorbs any excess liquid from the filling, and also baking the pie directly on the floor of the oven.
INGREDIENTS |
MEASURE |
WEIGHT |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
volume |
ounces |
grams |
flaky pie crust for a 9-inch pie (see blog recipe) |
|
12 ounces |
340 grams |
4, 2-inch gingersnaps |
|
1 ounce |
29 grams |
pecans |
1/4 cup |
1 scant ounce |
25 grams |
pumpkin filling |
3 3/4 liquid cups |
app 34.5 ounces |
984 grams |
1 can unsweetened pumpkin |
1 3/4 cups |
15 ounces |
425 grams |
light brown sugar,(*) firmly packed (preferably raw) |
3/4 cup |
5.75 ounces |
163 grams |
ground ginger |
2 teaspoons |
- |
- |
ground cinnamon |
1 1/2 teaspoons |
- |
- |
salt |
1/2 teaspoon |
- |
- |
milk |
2/3 liquid cup |
5.6 ounces |
160 grams |
heavy cream |
2/3 liquid cup |
5.5 ounces |
153 grams |
3 large eggs |
scant 2/3 liquid cup |
5.25 ounces |
150 grams |
pure vanilla extract |
1/2 teaspoon |
- |
- |
Special Equipment: A 9 inch pie plate, preferably Pyrex, a maple leaf cutter
On a floured pastry cloth or between 2 sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap, roll the pastry 1/8-inch thick and large enough to cut an even 13-inch circle. Use an expandable flan ring or a cardboard template as a guide to cut out the circle. Transfer it to the pie pan and tuck the overhanging pastry under itself. If desired, reroll scraps, chill and cut out decorative designs such as leaves. (Bake them separately at 400°F. for 6 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, brushed with milk and sprinkled with sugar in the raw. Remove to a rack to cool.)
Cut the border into a checker board design or use a form or spoon to make a flat but decorative border (see page 00). Do not make a raised border or extend it over the sides of the pan as it will not hold up so close to the heat source. After pouring pumpkin filling into the crust, push every other checkerboard border well over toward the filling or it tends to flip over against the pie pan. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for one up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. at least 15 minutes before baking time.
***Bake directly on floor of oven or have the oven shelf at the lowest level and place an oven stone or cookie sheet on it before preheating.
Process the gingersnaps and pecans until finely ground. Sprinkle them over the bottom of the pie crust and using your fingers and the back of a spoon, press them into the dough to coat the entire bottom, going about 1/2-inch up the sides.
In a small, heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, sugar, spices and salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a sputtering simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick and shiny.
Scrape the mixture into a food processor, fitted with the metal blade, and process for 1 minute. With the motor on, add the cream and milk, processing until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the work bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing just to incorporate, for about 5 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla along with the last egg.
Pour the mixture into the pie shell and set it directly on the floor of the oven. Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes or just until a knife inserted between sides and center will come out almost clean. The filling will have puffed and the surface dulled except for the center (The filling shakes like jelly when moved. This will happen before it has finished baking so it cannot be used as a firm indication of doneness; conversely, if it does not have this consistency you can be sure that it is not baked adequately.) If the crust appears to be darkening too much on the bottom, raise the pie to the next rack. After 30 minutes, protect the edges with a foil ring.
Place the baked pie on a rack to cool. When cool, the surface will be flat. If you have made decorative designs, place them on now.
Store: 3 days,room temperature.
Understanding
I prefer using canned pumpkin purée to homemade from fresh pumpkin as the canned is more consistent in quality of flavor and texture.
The crust border should not be too raised, nor extend past the pie plate because baking so close to the heat source, and at the lower temperature required for the custard filling, the border would not set quickly enough and would droop over the edge and break off. Since it does not extend past the edge, it is not necessary to shield the edges until 30 minutes instead of the usual 15 for a one crust pie.
Characteristic star-burst cracking is the result of overbaking. If desired, cover any crack(s), should they develop, with baked pastry cut-outs.
Adapted from The Pie and Pastry Bible, Scribner, 1998
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Comments
My sister and I made your pumpkin pie:
http://chennette.net/2008/08/18/making-pumpkin-pie/
It was awesome! Thank you very much.
We of course didn't start with canned puree...we tried to make our own which meant we had waaaaaaaaaay more filling than I made crust...but we managed.
Thanks :-)
Reply to this Posted by: Lilandra | August 19, 2008 8:47 PM #
Cindy, yes, use 'any-kind' of brown sugar. Agreed with Rose in all counts. The darker sugar helps the taste of pumpkin.
The canned pumpkin I use is the one sold everywhere in supermarkets in the U.S. Can't remember which.
Don't worry much about the color on the book, color prints do vary at time of printing and when stored in your bookshelf! It is the TASTE of this pumpkin pie who blew me away! Also, it would be near impossible to replicate one pie's color, it would depend on your oven, sugars, thus the amount of caramelization going on.
Oh, one last thing, the cream cheese flaky pie crust is so flaky and wonderful, that you must make rather large decorative leaves because if you make small ones like how I did, they look like teeth rather than leaves!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | December 6, 2007 2:45 AM #
Rose, the picture of thepumpkin pie in the PPB looks orange in colour, defintely not brown. Is it due to photographing or else?
Reply to this Posted by: cindy Chiu | December 6, 2007 12:52 AM #
gorgeous pie hector. i happen to love the color and thankful i do since the flavor is so much more delicious and complex with a darker sugar than the plain white refined variety.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | December 5, 2007 10:25 PM #
Thanks Hector, your advice always come so assuring . I cannot get turbinado sugar here but something called demarare sugar seems to be lighter in colour than brown sugar. As for canned pumpkin ,does it depend on the brand? Which brand did you used for your thanks giving pie?
Thanks
Cindy
Reply to this Posted by: cindy Chiu | December 5, 2007 9:27 PM #
Hi Cindy,
mine's came out brown, too, but I think it is the correct color. Even more, I used turbinado raw sugar, which is not as dark as brown sugar.
Pic here, including all the potluck foods. This was my Thanksgiving Saturday.
Rose, and it is well documented everywhere, claim that canned pumpkin puree tastes better than home made. I used canned.
In all, this pumpkin pie filling was the BEST I've ever tasted! It didn't taste so pumpkin, so eggy, so cinnamon, it was a good balance.
http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/GreatPumpkinPie.html
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | December 5, 2007 8:59 PM #
I have made this pie witht he pumpkin left from Halloween. It tasted good but Ifound that the colour of the pie was rather on the brown side with the brown sugar. I saw the bright orange pie on TPP bible. I think it looks better to be orange. The ecipe calls for Raw/brown sugar. Any suggestion?
Thanks.
Reply to this Posted by: cindy Chiu | December 5, 2007 7:51 PM #
Thanks uncle Ed, agreed. I've googled and there is quite a lot of info re: freezing custard pumpkin pies. I will just roll the crust, freeze unbaked, then refrigerator thaw it and continue/assemble the pie on the same day of baking/eating.
Thanks. /H
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | October 24, 2007 1:50 PM #
Hector-
No, you cannot assemble the pie unbaked as the filling is in a liquid state. You could possibly bake the pie and then freeze it, but I'm not a big fan of doing that.
Rose states above you can prepare the crust and freeze it and states that you cannot freeze custard pie fillings.
I could go for a piece of this pie right now!!!
Reply to this Posted by: uncle Ed | October 24, 2007 8:31 AM #
I a bit puzzled. Can you freeze the assembled pie, unbaked? If so, how do you bake it, do you thaw it first?
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | October 23, 2007 12:09 PM #
Rose-
This pie is fantastic. I made it today. I actually used fresh pumpkin. I did make one goof though, I forgot the frozen 3 tbsp. of butter in the freezer!!! They never made it into the crust. The crust was not bad, a little crumbly, but not bad.
I also made a pumpkin pie eater out of my mom who really did not like the pumpkin pies she had tried previously.
I definitely will be making this again!!
Thanks.
Al
Reply to this Posted by: Al | October 13, 2007 7:52 PM #
Marjorie,
The 3 3/4 cups references the completed filing from the recipe (which you make using the 1 3/4 cups of pumpkin).
Reply to this Posted by: Matthew | October 10, 2007 3:08 PM #
dear rose:
in reference to your recipe for "great pumpkin pie" you list 3 3/4 cup pumpkin filling and ALSO 1 3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin. when you ask for the "pumpkin filling" is this the pre-spiced pumpkin pie filling in a can. if not, how do you define this?
thank you in advance,
marjorie
Reply to this Posted by: marjorie | October 10, 2007 2:20 PM #
Well, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one that has it turn out that way!
I guess I misunderstood the use of 'crunchy' (in "The crunchy bottom crust is a result of creating a layer of gingersnaps and ground pecans") and expected something a little, um, crunchier. As it is, I get a wonderfully flaky crust with nice flavor, but nothing I'd describe as crunchy.
Either way, the pie is always a huge hit, and I end up making 3 or 4 any time I make one, just because so many people want their own!
Thanks
aaron
Reply to this Posted by: Aaron | May 31, 2007 10:31 AM #
exactly--it's to keep it from becoming soggy. it's about as nice a crust bottom as you're gonna get with a custard filling!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 23, 2007 7:56 PM #
Aaron,
I make this recipe too, but I never expected the cookie layer to be crunchy. I think it is there to keep the bottom crust from absorbing liquid.
Reply to this Posted by: Matthew | May 23, 2007 4:56 PM #
I wanted to follow up to Laura's question about pre-baking the crust. I make the pumpkin pie recipe at least 3-4 times/year, but I can't seem to get the nut/cookie layer to get crispy, or even moderately hard. It's tasty, to be sure, but not crispy or crunchy by any means. I've usually used a baking stone or a cookie sheet on the bottom level, but even when baking directly on the floor of the oven I didn't have any luck. I'm using ceramic (Longaberger) pie plates if that makes any difference...
Any suggestions?
(BTW - I met Alton Brown at a book signing where he welcomed any questions about such things, amd he suggested docking the crust and pre-baking the crust. Of course, his other comment was "it's her recipe, ask her!" but at the time, I didn't know how to do that...)
Reply to this Posted by: Aaron | May 23, 2007 3:18 PM #
Thanks Rose for the help...I'm just wondering though...why is it that custard pies like pumpkin pies can't be frozen? It's because I'm curious that I'm asking...I don't mean to be a pest. Thanks so much for being so fast with your answers!
Reply to this Posted by: Cassie | November 12, 2006 6:34 PM #
measure the volume of a 10 inch pan--i think i may have listed it in the book--the 9 inchease it. as for baking, start testing for doneness after 5 minutes more time than in the 9 inch.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 12, 2006 1:55 PM #
Hi Rose
Hi Rose,
I have your Pie and Pastry Bible Cookbook and use it all the time. I made your Pate Sucree crust this week put it in a 10" pyrex dish and froze it. My question: How much should I increase the filling from your "Great Pumpkin Pie" recipe and how long should I bake it since it is in a 10" pie dish. Thanks you for your help.
Reply to this Posted by: Maryann | November 12, 2006 1:46 PM #
you can freeze apple pie filling and other fruit fillings but not custard pies like pumpkin.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 12, 2006 12:19 PM #
Hello, It's been years since I've done any baking with my mother and now I'm wanting to do it on my own so I need a little help. I would like to get my pie fillings ready and freeze them, is that possible or will it ruin them? I want to make pumpkin and apple pies from the real thing and not the can, but I want to make the fillings right now while I have my vacation. Then when the time comes I could take them out of the freezer, defrost them, put the fillings in their crusts and bake. Does this sound right? I don't want to bring my first pies to my in-laws and have them taste awful. Thanks for any help!
Reply to this Posted by: Cassie | November 12, 2006 11:17 AM #
yes--you should press in the ginger crumbs before freezing and yes---NO prebaking.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 9, 2006 10:11 PM #
Hi Rose,
I wanted to make sure the crust is NOT prebaked for the Great Pumpkin Pie? I worry that I'm reading the directions wrong, b/c it seems like most other single crusts are partially baked. Does it not need to be prebaked b/c of the gingersnap crust?
Also, I am planning to make my crusts ahead and freeze them. Could I press the pecan/gingersnap mix into the pie before I feeze? It seems it would be difficult to do once I remove it from the freezer.
Thanks for clarifying. I'm still new to this, and like to make sure I understand everything before I get going!
Reply to this Posted by: Laura | November 9, 2006 9:09 PM #
the problem is not how long to bake it because the cake bakes until it tests done.the problem is that cake mixes are designed for smaller pans. When I make a cake from scratch in a larger size, I decrease the amount of baking powder or baking soda per cup of flour to give it more structure. but you can't make this adjustment in the cake mix because the baking powder is already in it.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 22, 2006 10:10 PM #
Hi, Rose. I have looked all over the net, I need to know how long to cook a cake when you mix two cake mixes to gether to make one large cake. I have one big pan, and if you put one cake mix in it, the cake turns out flat.
Thank you.
Reply to this Posted by: Linda | February 21, 2006 12:32 AM #
Hi Rose -- I want you to know that I am a huge fan and I own the Cake, Pie and Bread Bibles that you have written. I am a championship baker and have over 135 ribbons from the Iowa State Fair, which has over 12,000 entries each year. I have won the Overall Cake Championship 5 times, plus many other prizes for pies and a wide variety of other items. I find great inspiration in your books and have given them as gifts dozens of times. Thank you so very much for your excellent work. Since you write "bibles" then I consider you a cooking "goddess." Thanks again.
Reply to this Posted by: Eileen Gannon | November 22, 2005 10:17 AM #