Pumpkin Pie

Who doesn’t love pumpkin pie, right? Pumpkin pie is not only delicious but very nutritious.

Sure you can use canned pumpkin, but why when making your own is so easy?

The best pumpkins to use in pie are called sweetie pie pumpkins or sugar pie pumpkins. These pumpkins are usually under 10 pounds, and often get a sticker designating them as “pie pumpkins.” Any sugar pie pumpkin works well in recipes.

How to make pumpkin puree’ in the oven or Instapot.

Oven Method

Wash then cut the pumpkin in half and discard strings and seeds.
In a shallow baking dish, place the two halves face down and cover with foil.
Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for about 1½ hours for a medium-sized sugar pumpkin, or until tender. (Fork goes in easily)
Once the baked pumpkin has cooled, scoop out the flesh and purée or mash it. I like using my blender for this….But you can use a food processor or just an old fashioned potato masher.

Instapot Method

Wash the pumpkin

There are a few Heirloom varieties, but they are hard to find and are quite large and cumbersome to use. If your a purest though, you might want to search them out. the other option is canned pumpkin which works well when you are strapped for time. Canned pumpkin has it’s own problems as well. Which to buy, organic or non organic?

Well if you know me or have been following me long, you know I always use and suggest buying organic for many reasons. But here is an article highlighting the differences in conventional vs organic. Then there is the argument if canned pumpkin is indeed pumpkin. This Article talks about that issue. My parents used a certain squash in our pumpkin pies growing up. There was a difference, but not that the average person could tell. I use either canned or fresh pumpkin depending on the recipe.

The next subject is the spices. Sure you can buy store bought spices, in fact many companies make a pumpkin pie spice blend. But before you go out and buy one of those, read this first.

What makes pie a really fantastic pie is the crust. My favorite Pie Crust recipe is found here. Next are the other ingredients. If you are not vegan you can use canned milk and eggs, but if you are plant based your recipe will be slightly different. The recipes below cover both and are equally delicious and will have your guests asking for more. Sorry these recipes are not gluten free, but can easily be made that way.

Conventional Pumpkin Pie

Filling

1 (15-oz) can pumpkin or 1-3/4 cups freshly prepare pumpkin, cooled and pureed.
1 large egg
3 large eggs yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice found here
1-1/4 cups evaporated milk

Directions:

Make the Crust found here.
Preheat Oven to 375F
Have your pie shell ready. Take the dough out of the refrigerator (if it was in the fridge for a long time, let it sit on the countertop for 10-15 minutes so that it’s malleable enough to roll). Dust your work surface lightly with flour and place the dough on top; sprinkle a little flour over the dough. Use your hands to quickly work the dough into a smooth disc — don’t over-work it or warm it up too much, it becomes tough, just smooth the edges as best as you can so it’s easier to roll. Roll the dough, adding more flour as necessary so it doesn’t stick. Roll it into a 13-inch circle to fit your pie plate with some hanging over. Carefully drape the dough over the rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch deep dish pie pan (it should be at least 1-1/2 inches deep). Gently fit the dough into the pan, easing it inwards rather than stretching it outwards. Don’t worry if it tears, just patch it right back up. Trim the edges to 1/2-inch beyond the lip of the pie pan. Turn the edges over to create a rim on the crust (you can use the scraps to patch in any thin areas or make beautiful leaves to add to crust or on top of pie.) then press the rim against the lip of the pan, forming it into an even edge as you go. Using your fingers, crimp the rim or use the tongs of a fork to press to make a design and seal it. Place the crust in the freezer for at least 15 minutes while you heat the oven.
Remove the pie crust from the freezer and place on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of the oven). Cover the crust with a piece of parchment paper and fill it about halfway full with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Take the crust out of the oven; remove the parchment paper and beans/pie weights, then cut strips of aluminum foil to tent the edges of crust. This will protect the edges from getting too dark. Bake for another 20 minutes, until the dough is dry and golden. Don’t worry if the bottom puffs up; just press it down gently with a flat spatula, such as a pancake turner, taking care not to puncture it. Remove the foil
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Make the Filling for pie. Recipe above. Whisk together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust.
Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes, until the filling is just set. It should look dry around the edges and the center should jiggle just slightly. Watch that the pie crust doesn’t seem to be browning to quickly. if so, place the foil tents over the edges once more. Cool the pie on a rack (leave it on the baking sheet) to room temperature, a few hours. Slice or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note: I don’t recommend it, but If you have to use a store-bought crust, follow the instructions on the package for blind baking.
Pumpkin pie can be made one day ahead of time and refrigerated.
Serve with home made organic whipped cream. If you’ve never made homemade whipped cream, store bought will work in a pinch.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Filling

1 15oz can pure pumpkin or 1 3/4 cup freshly prepared pumpkin, cooled and pureed.
3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (the kind in a can, shaken well before measuring)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice found here.
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Make the crust fond here.
Preheat oven to 375F
Have your pie shell ready. Take the dough out of the refrigerator (if it was in the fridge for a long time, let it sit on the countertop for 10-15 minutes so that it’s malleable enough to roll). Dust your work surface lightly with flour and place the dough on top; sprinkle a little flour over the dough. Use your hands to quickly work the dough into a smooth disc — don’t over-work it or warm it up too much, it becomes tough, just smooth the edges as best as you can so it’s easier to roll. Roll the dough, adding more flour as necessary so it doesn’t stick. Roll it into a 13-inch circle to fit your pie plate with some hanging over. Carefully drape the dough over the rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch deep dish pie pan (it should be at least 1-1/2 inches deep). Gently fit the dough into the pan, easing it inwards rather than stretching it outwards. Don’t worry if it tears, just patch it right back up. Trim the edges to 1/2-inch beyond the lip of the pie pan. Turn the edges over to create a rim on the crust (you can use the scraps to patch in any thin areas or make beautiful leaves to add to crust or on top of pie.) then press the rim against the lip of the pan, forming it into an even edge as you go. Using your fingers, crimp the rim or use the tongs of a fork to press to make a design and seal it. Place the crust in the freezer for at least 15 minutes while you heat the oven.
Remove Pie Crust from freezer and place on a baking sheet (this makes it easy to move in and out of the oven). Cover the crust with a piece of parchment paper and fill it about halfway full with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Take the crust out of the oven; remove the parchment paper and beans/pie weights, then cut strips of aluminum foil to tent the edges of crust. This will protect the edges from getting too dark. Bake for another 20 minutes, until the dough is dry and golden. Don’t worry if the bottom puffs up; just press it down gently with a flat spatula, such as a pancake turner, taking care not to puncture it. Remove the foil
Reduce oven to 350F
Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, brown sugar, cornstarch, maple syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and salt to a blender or a large bowl. Mix well. ( I like whisking by hand.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie crust. Use a spatula to spread the pumpkin evenly and smooth out the top. Reduce the oven to 350f Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until the filling is just set. It should look dry around the edges and the center should jiggle just slightly.. If you notice the edges of the crust getting to dark, place the aluminum tents over the edges. When done, let cool, and then chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or until completely set. Serve plain or with Vegan whipped cream. Coconut whipped cream recipe found here.