I have a lot of respect for pumpkins. I always have; they are majestic fruits. I will not rank my favorite foods here, but I will say this: if I had to be in a relationship with one food, it would be pumpkins. I would marry pumpkins, and I would be chocolate’s mistress… but I digress.
The second temperatures drop below 70, I’m already making a pumpkin pie. As such, when a cold front rolled through last night, I experimented with a new recipe with which to pay homage to the august pumpkin. This is a long-winded way to make a pumpkin pie, but I'm not messing around here.
I happened to have a vanilla bean and some pecans on hand, so I made some variations to the classic recipe. Folding finely ground pecans into the crust dough offers an earthy balance to the spices in the filling, and it’s a quick and easy addition. However, vanilla beans are expensive and, in my opinion, usually more trouble than they are worth, so unless you already have some, I recommend adding a teaspoon and a half of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of bourbon instead of steeping a vanilla bean in bourbon. You will have extra pecan crust dough scraps, so bake them at 350 for ten minutes and dunk them in your coffee. You’re welcome.
For the pecan shortbread crust:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup finely ground pecans (grind about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of chopped pecans in a food processor)
Beat together the butter, powdered sugar, and salt at medium speed for 3 or 4 minutes, until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the cake flour, and mix until just incorporated. Fold in the ground pecans with a spatula until just incorporated; do not overwork the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour. When ready to use, roll out the dough until about 1/4 in. thick and press into pie pan. And I'll say it again, bake the scraps as cookies!
For the filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling, only use 100% pumpkin)
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 vanilla bean and 3/4 cup bourbon (OR substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon bourbon)
If you aren't using a vanilla bean, skip this paragraph. If you love and respect pumpkins as much as I do and are using a vanilla bean, do the following: bring 3/4 cup of bourbon and the vanilla bean to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow the vanilla bean to steep for 10 or 15 minutes, but keep a close eye on it. You don't want it to boil too much. Turn off the heat, remove the vanilla bean, and split it open with a knife. Scrape the seeds inside the bean into the bourbon, and set aside. Discard the pod.
Preheat the oven to 425.
Combine the sugar, salt, and spices in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat the two eggs. Stir in the sugar and spice mix and the canned pumpkin. Slowly pour in the evaporated milk, stirring as you go. If using a vanilla bean, add 3 tablespoons of the bourbon/vanilla mixture. Otherwise, add the vanilla extract and bourbon. Place the prepared pie shell on a baking sheet, and pour the filling into the shell. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, and then reduce the temperature to 350 and bake for 40-50 more minutes, until a knife comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.
0 comments:
Post a Comment