Pumpkin Pie

The first pumpkin pie of the season!

I used Carolyn's technique for the crust, and it worked splendidly. I used the Baking Illustrated book for the rest, as reproduced below. I pre-baked the crust for about 25 minutes before pouring in the filling, then baked another 25 minutes after that. I did the filling pretty much as listed, though with a heavy hand on the spices. (And my can of pumpkin filling was a 15-oz can...) I also used a splash of Maker's Mark bourbon instead of brandy in the whipped cream. Next time around I'd splash in a bit more, and add cinnamon and more sugar. For the pie filling, I wouldn't change a thing.

Pumpkin Pie Filling Ingredients

2 cups (16 ounces) plain pumpkin puree 

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup milk

4 large eggs

Brandied Whipped Cream Ingredients 

1 1/3 cups heavy cream, cold 

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon brandy

FILLING: 

For filling, process first 7 ingredients in a food processor fitted with steel blade for 1 minute. Transfer pumpkin mixture to a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring it to a sputtering simmer over medium-high heat. Cook pumpkin, stirring constantly, until thick and shiny, about 5 minutes. As soon as pie shell comes out of oven, whisk heavy cream and milk into pumpkin and bring to a bare simmer. Process eggs in food processor until whites and yolks are mixed, about 5 seconds. With motor running, slowly pour about half of hot pumpkin mixture through feed tube. Stop machine and scrape in remaining pumpkin. Process 30 seconds longer. Immediately pour warm filling into hot pie shell. (Ladle any excess filling into pie after it has baked for 5 minutes or so — by this time filling will have settled.) Bake until filling is puffed, dry-looking, and lightly cracked around edges, and center wiggles like gelatin when pie is gently shaken, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. 

BRANDIED WHIPPED CREAM: 

For whipped cream, beat cream at medium speed to soft peaks; gradually add confectioners’ sugar then brandy. Beat to stiff peaks. Accompany each wedge of pie with a dollop of whipped cream.

I found myself thinking I'd ruined the pie several times: during the first cooking of the pumpkin puree, I had trouble getting it to simmer at all. The color, before adding cream and milk, was exceedingly dark brown, not a color you think of when you think of pumpkin. Even after the dairy, it was sort of latte-like in color. Then, when I took it out of the oven, it seemed dark again, and overly firm, so I assumed I'd overcooked or even burned it. 

The results, however, were pretty great: dense but not too dense, custardy-soft, lots of spice flavor but still very pumpkiny, and not overly sweet. The crust was crisp, flaky and firm.

I will almost certainly make several more of these this year.