I'm posting my new favorite pumpkin pie recipe ever, and I'm doing it despite Blogger's strange formatting issues tonight which make my post appear, at least to my eyes, to be about 1/10 the normal size. I sacrifice for the sake of the readership, I know.
I can't take full credit for this recipe; in fact, I can take absolutely none at all. This is one of the pie recipes featured in the Novemeber 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine. Technically the November issue does not exist, as I realized when I went hunting for this recipe on Martha's website and started to notice a trend: nothing from the November issue was anywhere. I was mystified, until I realized that November doesn't actually start for another week. A slight technicality, I know, but one that has forced me to actually type this bad boy out instead of lazily linking to it. Darn.
So when all you non-subscriber plebes get the November issue, turn to page 171 for the recipe and an accompanying picture.
Please, make this pie. Make it as soon as possible, and put it to the test with the most discriminate pie taster you know. Also put it to the test with someone who's not so crazy about pumpkin pies. I did both of these things (my brother-in-law, Joey, being the Pumpkin Pie Afficianado and my husband being the so-so guy) and got rave reviews from each. Actually, and I am directly quoting here, each said, "This is the best pumpkin pie I have ever had."
Martha. You rock.
Pumpkin Pie with Press-In Shortbread Crust (see, Blogger won't even let me put this in bold!)
Press-In Shortbread Crust:
4 T. unsalted butter, softened
3 T. sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
Stir together butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in yolk. Add flour and salt, and stir until mixture is dry and crumbly. (I used my hands.) Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Freeze until firm, about 20 mimutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375.
Bake, rotating halfway through, just until crust turns golden brown, 20-22 minutes. Let cool in dish on a wire rack.
Make filling...
Pumpkin Pie Filling
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin filling
1 cup heavy cream (in your face, condensed milk)
3/4 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground allspice
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
Preheat oven to 325. Whisk together all ingredients in large bowl. Pour filling into shortbread crust.
Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until filling is just set and slightly puffed but still a bit wobbly, 65 to 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 6 hours. (Pie can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.) Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream.
This pie is seriously one of the best things I have ever made. It is worth the effort, the 6 hours of refrigeration, everything. And please. No Cool Whip. No Reddi Whip. Those are two things never allowed in my home, and I would urge you to adopt similar rules. (Also not allowed: iceberg lettuce, processed cheese, and ground coffee.) Go the extra mile and whip up some homemade whipped cream with the whipping cream you have leftover and a smidge of sugar. You'll be thankful you did.
Just in case you're still on the fence about doing this, let me quickly explain just what makes this recipe so great: the crust. Yeah, the filling is great, but really, it's hard to mess up pumpkin pie filling. But I've always been bothered by traditional pie crusts on pumpkin pies--I don't like their texture. I just think they do not in any way jive with the taste or consistency of the filling. But this shortbread crust? Heaven. Buttery, smooth, and just slightly salty, and it's all the better paired with pumpkin pie. Love. It.
So get baking! Go the full mile and prepare a fall-friendly, seasonal meal complete with this mouth-watering pumpkin pie for dessert.
In short, make me proud.
7 comments:
yum!
Hmmmm...I might have to try it. I have never in my life made a pie, but this crust doesn't sound so daunting. Do you think this crust would also taste good with other pies? My grandma has a coconut cream pie recipe that is to die for!
Rachel: You have never made a pie???!! Girl, you are missing out on a lot of fun. Seriously, I love making them. And I love making traditional crusts, too. (That's another thing not allowed in our home: pre-made pie crusts, although I do make rare exceptions for chicken pot pies.) Yes, you can use other pies with this crust, although I'd stick with fluffy things, like, yes, cream pies, meringues, and the like. This is a frequently used pie crust by Martha, so if you go to her website and search for it in her recipes, you'll find other pies that use it.
Do it!!!
I may try this today. I'm running errands so I can make sure I have everything I need. I may also try the pumpkin soup recipe since Nick works tonight and he can eat leftover mastaccoli. =) We may be all pumpkined out by the end of the day, but this pie sounds REALLY easy and tasty. I'll let you know how it turns out. Hmmm...my first pie experience.
I made this pie yesterday! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Also, thanks for posting so many cute posts of your amazing kids. I can't believe they are stringing so many words together! Okay, so I followed your recipe (Martha's, I guess) but used real pumpkin, eggs from our chicken, cream from our cow and Amish butter (and kosher salt. and raw sugar. and whole wheat flour). It was very good; my first pumpkin pie ever! Thanks again for sharing.
Janie! Your pie was so earthy! Well done. I'm jealous that you went the extra mile and used real pumpkin. I just can't, as Baylor wants to stir the seeds, Jack wants to dig around the inside of the pumpkin, and Charlotte wants to eat it all.
I actually find your recipe easier to follow than the one that's posted at marthastewart.com. Go you, and thanks for clarity.
also, yum! Pumpkin is my favorite pie!
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