Perfect Pumpkin Pie - ThermoWorks Giveaway

With the autumn baking season upon us, it's time for the annual quest for the perfect pumpkin pie and to take stock of our kitchen tools to make sure we have what we need in the months ahead. 

The Pie

I've posted Pumpkin Pie before, including ones made with canned evaporated milk, but I can't buy organic evaporated milk just anywhere, so I developed a recipe I can make with readily available organic milk and cream. 

When I make pumpkin pie for just us, I use just 1/4 cup of sugar. I know, I know, it sounds extreme; but we love it. However, knowing other people might not, I would use 2/3 cup when making the pie for guests. But lately I've tried out a 1/2-cup version on some of them and they've loved it, so this recipe says "1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) sugar." I hope you'll try it!

I've posted lots of different pie crusts, including gluten-free pie crust, made with different techniques. This is my favorite recipe using a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can easily adapt it to making it by hand. Food-processor all-butter pastry has a tendency to be difficult to cut with a fork, but I've included some significant changes/additions I've made to make the crust fork-tender. It's foolproof; you can't mess this up!

You just need one crust for a pumpkin pie, of course; but never waste time making just one crust. Always make the double-crust recipe and store one in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for a couple months. It's very satisfying seeing a little stack of dough disks in the freezer ready for future pies! 

I've also posted various methods over the years to help you avoid the dreaded "soggy bottom," including fully prebaking the pie shell or using a pie tin on a pizza stone; but I wanted to find a way to have a lovely crisp, golden, un-soggy bottom using my all-time favorite pie plate, the classic 9-inch Pyrex glass pie plate. If you've had any of these challenges, I hope you'll find something here that works for you.

The Giveaway

And, just in time for your fall baking, a giveaway from ThermoWorks of some of my favorite, tried-and-true, in-constant-use items! The Hi-Temp Silicone Kitchen Kit (in your choice of 10 colors): One Medium Silicone Spatula (12.5"), One Mini Silicone Spatula & Spoonula set, Two 7" Round Silicone Trivets, One Large 9" x 12" Trivet, and One Small Silicone Brush. And drumroll please, my favorite kitchen timer: the TimeStack quadruple timer (in your choice of 10 colors) that shows you all four displays and alarms at once. You can even record your own voice for each alarm.

The hotpad/trivets are amazing! I've tried all kinds, and these are the best. Super sturdy, yet flexible, and very grippy, they are my favorite hotpads. As trivets when cooking, baking, or serving a meal buffet- or family-style, they protect your tabletop or countertop from hot dishes and pans, round or rectangular. And hot pans and casseroles won't slide off these trivets.

And the TimeStack—Why do I need a four-channel timer in my home kitchen? Because we use a timer for everything: brewing tea several times a day, checking the rising bread dough, baking, getting the laundry out of the dryer, watering the fruit trees for a certain length of time. We even use a timer as an alarm clock on those rare occasions when we need one. You'll wonder how you ever lived without it! 

These items make wonderful gifts as well. You'll find the giveaway rules below the recipe. And do leave a comment, even if you're not entering the giveaway. I love your comments! Happy Autumn! 

Pumpkin Pie

(Makes one 9-inch pie, 8 servings)

The Pastry - Food Processor Method

(for two single-crust pies or one double-crust pie)

 

2 1/4 dip-and-sweep cups (11.25 ounces/319 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 dip-and-sweep cup (1.06 ounce/30 grams) tapioca flour

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces/227 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 large egg, lightly beaten

4 tablespoons (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) ice water

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

The Filling

 

1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) sugar

2 tablespoons non-GMO cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

3 large eggs

1 15-ounce (425 grams) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) or 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces/177 ml) milk
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) heavy cream

1 Weigh/measure flour, sugar, and salt in 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds to "sift." With food processor's metal blade in place, scoop out half (1 1/4 cups) the flour mixture into the work bowl of the food processor. Spread the butter slices evenly over the fairly even flour mixture. Pulse until no dry flour remains and mixture is starting to form clumps of dough, about 25 to 30 one-second pulses. Don't get hung up on counting the number of pulses, just watch for the clumping to begin. With a silicone spatula, spread dough evenly around the work bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining flour and pulse until the dough is just barely broken up, about 5 1-second pulses.

2 Transfer the dough back to the 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl. If the kitchen very warm, cover and refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes or so before proceeding. Sprinkle the dough with the egg-water-vinegar mixture and use the spatula to fold and press the dough until it comes together into a ball.

3 Turn the dough out, dividing onto two pieces of plastic wrap and flatten each slightly into a 4- to 5-inch round disk. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. You can even freeze the dough, wrapped well, for up to a month. To defrost the dough, move it from freezer to refrigerator for one day before using it. Let thoroughly chilled dough stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes for easier rolling.

4 In medium bowl (using a 2-quart glass measure makes it easy to pour the filling into the crust), whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt and spices. Whisk in the eggs, then the pumpkin and then the milk and cream. Refrigerate filling until ready to fill the pie shell, up to a full day.  

5 For single-crust pie: On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 13 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch or so thick. Transfer the dough to the pie plate, pressing the dough (but not stretching it) to fit the pie plate, getting down into the corners, with a half- to one-inch overhang (trim with knife or scissors). Cover with the reserved piece of plastic wrap and chill for 10 minutes before fluting the edge. Cover and return to refrigerator while the oven heats up.

6 Put the oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat the oven to 450F/230C/Gas8. Pour the filling into the chilled unbaked shell and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any butter drips. As soon as you put the pie in the oven, reduce temperature to 425F/220C/Gas7. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F/180C/Gas4. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes (after about 15 minutes, I put on a pie crust shield to ensure that the crimped edge doesn't burn), or until knife inserted midway between edge and center comes out clean or until it registers 185F/85C on an instant-read thermometer.

Note: After you've made pumpkin pie a few times, you can tell just by looking whether or not it's done. It will look darker and shinier and will have puffed up a bit and then fallen, and it should be fairly firm but still have a little jiggle left in the center (unless, of course, you're making it for Mr Delightful who wants his pie very firm, no jiggle!).

7 Cool on wire rack for 2 hours, then lay a square of wax paper over the top and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve with softly whipped cream. I sweetened and flavored 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with 4 teaspoons of real maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. And I sometimes garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

Note: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. As if!

My pumpkin pies often crack because I overbake them to
suit Mr Delightful's preference for a very firm custard.

ThermoWorks TimeStack and Kitchen Kit Giveaway

This giveaway is open to readers in the US* who are 18 years of age or older. To enter, leave a comment below (one entry per person). Be sure to tell me what color you prefer. Please include your email address in the body of your comment. If your name is drawn and I have no way to contact you, you will be disqualified. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday October 31.

* If you are outside the US but would like to have this sent to someone you know in the US, go ahead and enter!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday November 9. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Friday November 3, a new winner will be selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Disclosure: ThermoWorks provided the timer and kitchen kit for review purposes and for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Jean

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