Monday, December 22, 2008

pumpkin cream pie



the goods:

crust:
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 to 6 tablespoons ice water

pie:
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
3/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream

topping:
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar



Make crust: In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly, but holds together (add up to 3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time to receive desired consistency). Don't overmix. Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch thick disk. Refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour).
On a floured work surface, roll dough to a 14-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough). Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Crimp rim of crust.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Press aluminum foil onto crust, draping over rim of pie plate. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until edge of crust is firm, about 20 minutes. Remove weights and foil; let crust cool completely, and set aside.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees.



Make filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; whisk in cream.



Pour mixture into cooled crust.



Place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until filling is set, about 1 hour.



Let cool on a wire rack, 1 hour; refrigerate to cool completely, 2 hours or up to overnight.



Make topping: Place 3 tablespoons cold water in a small saucepan; sprinkle with gelatin, and let soften, about 5 minutes. Place pan over very low heat; stir until gelatin dissolves. Let cool slightly. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream and sugar until very soft peaks form. While beating, slowly add gelatin mixture; continue to beat until soft peaks form.



With a rubber spatula, mound topping in center of chilled pie. Refrigerate at least 1 hour more.



Sprinkle with more cinnamon before serving.

2 comments:

jamie said...

YUM bring those leftovers to my belly!!!

Jenni said...

That whipped creation on top looks so good and beautiful that it seems fake... like when we used to try to make our dinner plates look like the food on the t.v.