pumpkin pie

Adaption of Alton Brown’s pumpkin pie recipe. This one tweaks seasoning for personal preference.

Ingredients

Filling

• 16 oz pumpkin puree ¹
• 1 c half-and-half
• 3/4 c dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 yolk from large egg
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt

Crust

• 6 oz ginger snaps (no sugar sprinkles- interferes with final consistency)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 oz butter, melted
• 1 tsp ginger (optional)

Hardware

• 9” pie tin
• food processor
• sauce pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Assemble crust
   1. Place cookies in food processor and turn on high until cookie is a uniformly pulverized. Texture is similar to cornmeal.
   2. Continue running food processor and drizzle in butter. When incorporated, the mix should still be a little crumbly but starting to stick together when squeezed between thumb and finger.
   3. Pour mixture into pie tin and spread around evenly across the bottom and up the sides to the top.
   4. Tamp into place using either fingers or the flat bottom of a glass or equivalent small flat surface.
   5. Bake for 10 minutes at 350F.
3. Put pumpkin puree into sauce pan on medium-low heat and allow to simmer. Mix frequently to heat through evenly and prevent scorching. Simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened slightly.
4. Stir in half-and-half and spices then remove from heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
5. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, eggs, and yolk.
6. When pumpkin puree is cool enough no to burn a finger, pour 1-2 cups of it into the egg and sugar mixture while stirring it vigorously. When fully incorporated, add remaining puree and then fully incorporate.
7. Slowly pour all of mixture into the center of the pie crust. Even out top by lightly tamping the pie pan on the counter. Do so light enough not so as not to disturb the delicate crumble crust.
8. Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes. Done is when the filling is set on the sides and the center still has a slight jiggle when lightly jostled.
9. Allow to cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

Footnotes

1. Rather than going with canned pumpkin puree, I will often roast a medium butternut squash and then puree it. Cut it in half axially (top to bottom). Place flesh-side down onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. It is done when a knife or fork can be pushed all the way through the flesh without meeting much resistance. Let cool and then scoop out flesh into a food processor. Blend until smooth. Measure out 17-18 oz puree by volume to a saute pan. Simmer on low while periodically stirring. After it reduces for 15-20 minutes, proceed to step 4. ↩