As American as Pumpkin Pie!

As Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield once said:

" Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."

 Pumpkin pie is something I have never made before and is perfect for this time of year. Whether you are buying a pumpkin to carve for Halloween or just because they are in season, it is a perfect pie for Autumn. My little man is just beginning to make marks on paper with crayons so I thought I would let him design our pumpkin this year (eg. scribble happily on the pumpkin and I cut it out) I think his efforts are great, even if they don't resemble a face! 

 
Anyway, back to pie! Although more time consuming than making a cake, I think it is worth the effort. When I started my search for a pumpkin pie recipe I discovered loads out there! I decided on this one from Good Food as lots of reviewers said it tasted like a pumpkin egg custard tart, and I would totally agree, yummy!

I actually found, as did other reviewers, that this recipe made more than enough for 1 pie, probably enough for 2, so I have frozen the rest of the pie filling and am going to use it to fill another pie, another day. Alternatively, you could halve the recipe!

Pumpkin Pie

750g/1lb 10oz pumpkin, deseeded and cut into chunks,

350g/14oz sweet shortcrust pastry plus flour for dusting (you have several options when it comes to the pastry, either make your own (recipe below), buy a packet of pastry, or in my lazy case this time, buy a ready made pastry case (I would highly recommend Sainsburys Taste the Difference pastry case))

140g/just shy of 5oz castor sugar,

1/2 tsp salt,

1/2 tsp nutmeg,

1 tsp cinnamon,

2 eggs,

25g butter, melted,

175ml milk,

Icing sugar to decorate (although I found within seconds of this going on my pie absorbed it, yummy but you couldn't tell it was there after about a minute except for on the crust!)

 

1. If you are making your own pastry, make this first (recipe below).

2. Place the pumpkin in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender, drain and leave to cool.

3. Heat the oven to 180/160 fan/gas mark 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 22cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Put in the fridge to chill for 15 mins. Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the beans and paper, and cook for a further 10 mins until the base is pale golden and biscuity. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. 

4. Turn the oven up to 220/200 fan/gas mark 7. 

5. Push the cooled pumpkin through a sieve into a bowl.

6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, eggs, butter and milk.

7. Combine with the pumpkin puree and pour into the pastry case.

8. Bake for 10 minutes and then turn down the heat to 180/160 fan/gas 4. Continue to bake for 30-40 minutes until the filling has just set (it shouldn't wobble when you give it a gentle shake).

9. Once cool, dust with icing sugar.

Please excuse in the picture where my little man put his finger in the middle of the pie, I did tell him he isn't Little Jack Horner!

 

Mary Berry's Shortcrust Pastry

 

175g/6oz plain flour,

100g/3½oz cold butter, cut into small cubes,

25g/1oz icing sugar,

1 free-range egg yolk

1 tbsp cold water,

1. Put the flour, butter and icing sugar into a food processor and pulse until it looks like breadcrumbs.

2. Add the egg yolk and water and pulse until it starts to clump together.

3. Turn out onto the worksurface and bring together into a ball.

4. Knead it a few times until smooth and then wrap in parchment paper/cling film and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

This pie would be perfect for either a dinner pudding warmed through and served with icecream, or an afternoon tea treat! I've just enjoyed my slice on the sofa, in my PJs, with a scoop of vanilla icecream!

 

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Happy baking!

xxx