Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour.
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, frozen and cubed
• 5 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

• 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice

Directions:

Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Add flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined.
3. Add in butter, half at a time, pulsing after each addition.
4. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of ice water, then as needed, until you have a crumbly mixture that will hold together when squeezed.
5. Pour dough into a gallon freezer bag. Form a disk out of the dough, inside of the bag. Zip up bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour.
6. Remove dough disk from bag. Let rest on counter 5-10 minutes, or until malleable.
7. Sprinkle counter generously with flour. Roll crust into a 1/4 inch thick disk and transfer to pie dish. Push edges inward so dough forms to pan. Try not to tug, or crust may tear.
8. Trim about 1 inch thicker in diameter than pie dish. Fold edges under, shape and crimp. Chill in freezer for 10 minutes.
9. Make a round bin with aluminum foil that fits well on top of crust in pie dish. Fill bin with pie weights or dry beans.
10. Bake for 12 minutes and remove the bin.
11. Prick crust all over with a fork and bake an additional 10-12 minutes.

Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Add pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt to a small saucepan and place over medium-low heat.
3. Stir frequently. Cook until mixture just starts to bubble when left alone for a moment.
4. In a small bowl, combine milk and heavy cream. Microwave about 90 seconds until warm.
5. In a separate small bowl, add eggs and whisk together. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup milk mixture, tempering the eggs. Whisk in remaining mixture slowly.
6. Slowly add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture, whisking until smooth. Pour filling into pie crust.
7. Mix an additional egg with one tablespoon of milk or heavy cream, and brush onto edges of pie crust.
8. Tent the edge of the crust with aluminum foil. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The tent can be removed after 30 minutes if the crust needs more color.
9. Let cool completely. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

*Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to 2 days.

*Sometimes I like to serve my pie a little warm. It's delicious, but it cuts pretty messy. It's a little mushier when warm, so if you're wanting a prettier pie I would suggest letting it cool completely. If you don't care what it looks like, most of my friends and family usually prefer it warm.  This includes me too!

Serves: 8