The wind is getting a bit colder and the leaves are changing so that means it’s pumpkin season. This versatile squash has amazing color, texture and recipe possibilities.
Perfect Pumpkin Pie: Some say the perfect pumpkin pie is unattainable but this recipe begs to differ.
Ingredients: Firstly start with a 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree. The canned stuff add efficiency to the equation and it does not sacrifice flavor.
Secondly for the rest of your wet ingredients we’ll need, a 12 oz can of (your preferred) evaporated milk, 3/4 cup of brown sugar, and very importantly eggs! 2 large eggs will suffice. As for your crust you will need a cup of butter, and up to 12 oz of Ice Cold Water.
As for the dry Add, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 a teaspoon of salt, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Your crust will consist 2 and 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, and 1 teaspoon of sugar and salt.
Crust: Before making the crust is temperature that either makes or breaks the crust, for optimal outcome as cool as it can be is the way to go. To assemble your crust many precut their butter and then add it to the flour on a large cutting board. The goal is to get small pieces of butter woven into the crust with layers of flour between them. Continue cutting the butter in, once you’ve cut in your butter add the salt and sugar, then slowly add in small increments of the ice water until the dough becomes shaggy. Adding too much water will destroy the crusts texture and cause for a soggy droopy crust.
Filling: In a large bowl combine all wet ingredients till smooth
Bake: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Once pre-heated dock crust and bake for 8-10 minutes till color starts to slightly change. Take out of oven and pour in filling and bake for 15 min then cover in foil to finish. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until filling is firm. Allow pie to cool.
Extra, Tips and Tricks: For a nice whipped topping to your pie add 2 1/2 cups of cold whipping cream, 1 cup of white sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to a bowl and whip till the peaks on the whisk are droopy. For those who are unaffected by tree nuts consider, chopping or crushing 1/2 cup of pecans and add to your filling. Want to get creative with the crust? using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the flower to be efficient, and if you don’t want to precut your butter just lay the sticks down pour the flour on and cut it until well incorporated.
Soup-erb Pumpkin Soup: Start with a fresh de-stemmed, de-seeded and quartered pumpkin. Cover the squash in 4 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper to your liking. Make sure entire squash is covered and then bake off in a 350 degree F oven, until soft. Dice 1 medium onion 2 chopped stocks of celery, 4 large carrots chopped, and 2-4 minced cloves of garlic or 1 1/2 table spoons of jarred minced garlic. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot, and add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic. Cook aromatics till browning begins, then add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and cook off till vegetables are covered. Chop cooked pumpkin into pieces the size of a glasses lens. Add pumpkin to pot and add 4 cups of chicken stock, bring to simmer and add another 1/2 of heavy whipping cream or consider coconut milk alternative. Use immersion blender or transfer to blender and puree until smooth. Consider adding a dollop of sour cream or roasted pumpkin seeds and enjoy!
I scream you scream we all scream for pumpkin ice cream: First if you have the resources available, get your ice cream churner in the freezer. If you do not own an ice cream machine try modifying the recipe to work with the bag method. Start with another 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, then in a sauce pan on low heat add 3 cups of heavy whipping cream, 1 and 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or the inside of one vanilla bean, and a teaspoon of salt. Then in a bowl add your pumpkin puree and 2 medium eggs, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ginger, and 1/4th of a teaspoon of ground cloves. Once all eggs and spices are incorporated into the puree begin slowly add your hot custard in small increments. Once you have incorporated half the hot custard add the pumpkin mixture back to the saucepan and bring to simmer. Mix till smooth and take off heat and allow to cool. Once cool add to ice cream churner and churn to your preferred consistency.
Consider adding 1/2 cup of chopped pecans if you are not allergic to tree nuts.
If using the bag method, do not cook your custard simply add all ingredients to the back and adjust recipe with more or less cream and sugar.
