Pumpkin pie

Is a dessert pie with a spiced, pumpkin-based custard filling. The pumpkin is a symbol of harvest time, and pumpkin pie is often eaten during the fall and early winter. In the United States and Canada, it is usually prepared for Thanksgiving and is also featured at Halloween.

The pie consists of a pumpkin-based custard, ranging in colour from orange to brown, baked in a single pie shell, rarely with a top crust. The pie is generally flavored with cinnamon, powdered ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Allspice is also commonly used and can replace the clove and nutmeg, as its flavor is similar to both combined. Cardamom and vanilla are also sometimes used as batter spices. The spice mixture is called pumpkin pie spice.

The pie is often made from canned pumpkin or packaged pumpkin pie filling (spices included), mainly from varieties of Cucurbita moschata.

Pies made from pumpkins use pumpkins at about six to eight inches in diameter, they are considerably smaller than jack o'lanterns. The pumpkin is sliced in half, and the seeds are removed. The two halves are heated until soft, in an oven, over an open fire, on a stove top, or in a microwave oven. Sometimes the pumpkin halves are brined to soften the pulp, rather than cooked. At this point the pulp is scooped out and puréed.

The pulp is mixed with eggs, evaporated and/or sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and a spice mixture called pumpkin pie spice, which includes nutmeg and other spices (e.g., ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, mace), then baked in a pie shell. Similar pies are made with butternut squash or sweet potato fillings.

History

The pumpkin is native to the continent of North America. The pumpkin was an early export to France; from there it was introduced to Tudor England, and the flesh of the "pompion" was quickly accepted as pie filler. During the seventeenth century, pumpkin pie recipes could be found in English cookbooks. Pumpkin pies made by early American colonists were more likely to be a savory soup made and served in a pumpkin than a sweet custard in a crust.

It was not until the early nineteenth century that the recipes appeared in American cookbooks or pumpkin pie became a common addition to the Thanksgiving dinner. The Pilgrims brought the pumpkin pie back to New England, while the English method of cooking the pumpkin took a different course. In the 19th century, the English pumpkin pie was prepared by stuffing the pumpkin with apples, spices, and sugar and then baking it whole.

Today, throughout much of the United States, it is traditional to serve pumpkin pie after Thanksgiving dinner. Additionally, many modern companies produce seasonal pumpkin pie-flavored products such as candy, cheesecake, coffee, ice cream, french toast, waffles and pancakes, and many breweries produce a seasonal pumpkin ale or beer; these are generally not flavored with pumpkins, but rather pumpkin pie spices. Commercially made pumpkin pie mix is made from Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata.

Pumpkin pies were briefly discouraged from Thanksgiving dinners in 1947 as part of a rationing campaign, mainly because of the eggs in the recipe.

Records

The world's largest pumpkin pie was made in New Bremen, Ohio, at the New Bremen Pumpkinfest. It was created on September 25, 2010. The pie consisted of 1,212 pounds of canned pumpkin, 109 gallons of evaporated milk, 2,796 eggs, 7 pounds of salt, 14.5 pounds of cinnamon, and 525 pounds of sugar. The final pie weighed 3,699 pounds (1,678 kg) and measured 20 feet (6 m) in diameter.

Recipe

###Makes dough for a 9-inch standard pie crust

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
• 3 ounces cream cheese, cold, cut into cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Filling

• All-purpose flour (for dusting)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin purée
• ¼ cup crème fraiche
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 tsp. vanilla
extract
• 1 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Add the cream cheese to the flour. Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the butter and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. Now add the cream and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas, and the mixture holds together when pressed between two fingers. Pour the mixture onto a work surface, knead it together and press into a flat disk. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.

Roll out disk of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14” round. Transfer to a 9” pie dish or fluted, removable bottom tart pan as I did. Lift up edge and allow dough to slump down into dish. Trim, leaving about 1” overhang. Fold overhang under and crimp edge. Chill in freezer 15 minutes or overnight. You can also bake the pie dough directly from frozen.

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°. Line pie with parchment paper or heavy-duty foil, leaving a 1½” overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is dry around the edge, about 20 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake until surface of crust looks dry, 5–10 minutes. Brush bottom and sides of crust with 1 beaten egg. Return to oven and bake until dry and set, about 3 minutes longer (Brushing crust with egg and baking will prevent a soggy crust).

Whisk pumpkin purée, fresh cream, bourbon, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and remaining 3 eggs in a large bowl; set aside. Pour maple syrup in a small saucepan; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean (reserve pod for another use) or add vanilla extract and bring syrup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and small puffs of steam start to release, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream in 3 additions, stirring with a wooden spoon after each addition until smooth. Gradually whisk hot maple cream into pumpkin mixture.

Place pie or tart dish on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in filling. Bake rotating halfway through, until set around edge but center barely jiggles, 50–60 minutes. Transfer pie dish or tart pan to a wire rack and let pie cool.

Enjoy !

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