Recipe #28 Mike's Pumpkin Pie

I usually buy a fresh culinary pumpkin and prepare it in advance of making the pie. 

Split and clean the seeds and innards from the pumpkin. 

Place the halves on a cookie sheet facing down and bake in 400ºF oven for 30 minutes. 

The pumpkin is ready when you can easily peel the skin off the flesh. Leave to cool. 

Scoop all the pulp away from the skin and place in a food processor and chop until puréed. 

If you have more pumpkin than you need for the pie, freeze the purée to add to a soup at a later date. 

Ingredients: 

3 eggs 

1/3 cup granulated sugar 

1/3 cup brown sugar 

2 cups puréed pumpkin [1 small culinary pumpkin] 

1 tsp ground ginger 

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/2 tsp ground cloves 

1/2 tsp allspice [mixed spice] 

1/4 tsp ground cardamom pinch of salt 

3/4 cup heavy cream [double cream] 30% milk fat 

3/4 cup light cream [10% milk fat] 

3 tbsp of dark rum 

1/2 recipe pie crust Optional: pecan halves [for garnish] 

  

  Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 450º F 

Beat eggs and both sugars together until light 

Stir in pumpkin purée, spices and salt and mix thoroughly. 

Stir in light cream and double cream. 

Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface and line a 9-inch pie pan with it; trim and crimp edges. Pour in the filling. 

Bake the pie at 450ºF for 8 minutes, then reduce heat to 325ºF and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes, or until filling is set. 

[A spaghetti noodle inserted into the middle should come out clean] 

Optional: Arrange pecan halves decoratively around the edge, pressing them lightly into warm filling. Arrange another 5 pecans in a flower pattern in the centre of the pie. Cool completely before cutting. Serve with sweetened whipped cream