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24
November
Pumpkin Pie
Sadly, due to the inclement weather this year, my squash patch was pretty much a wash out. The incessant rain caused mold on the broad leaves, and any budding squash was soon munched on by the army of slugs and snails that invaded my garden this year.
I was devastated, my grand plans of producing enough pumpkin and squash puree to last me through many soups and pies were dashed. However, a delightful friend from the US happened to mention that she used canned pumpkin. All was not lost, I thought.
Canned pumpkin however, is not a staple item of the British supermarket. The internet came to my rescue, and several cans were ordered from Amazon, so expect further pumpkin recipes in the future. The most famous brand is of course Libby’s, which is actually a puree of Dickinson’s Select, something more akin to a squash than an actual pumpkin. Fresh pumpkin tends to be a little too stringy or fibrous to give a truly smooth finish.
I am not sure why it is but, Butternut aside, fresh squash is largely ignored in our supermarkets. It is a delicious and nutritious ingredient and I love cooking with it, and wish more people did. Many people I have spoken to have also never tried a pumpkin pie. The British as a whole seem to have trouble accepting the idea of a vegetable based dessert.
The dish is quite sweet because of the condensed milk, so I reduced the sugar from the original recipe. Next time, I might switch the sugar for Maple Syrup which will add a taste of New England to this autumn classic.
Pumpkin Pie
Print recipe
| Serves | 12 |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert |
| Misc | Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Autumn/Thanksgiving |
Ingredients
Pastry
- 175g Plain Flour
- 85g Unsalted Butter
- 50g Icing Sugar
- 1 Small Free-range Egg
- ½ teaspoon Distilled Vinegar
- 40g Caster Sugar
- Milk (or water)
Filling
- 40g Light Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Spice Mix
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 can Pumpkin Puree (425g)
- 2 Large Free-range Eggs
- 1 can Condensed Milk (340g)
Directions
| 1. | Prepare shortcrust pastry, by rubbing the cold butter and flour together until it resembles breadcrumbs |
| 2. | Stir through the sugar and add the beaten egg and vinegar. Add just enough milk, teaspoon at a time to bring it together as a soft but not sticky dough. then chill for 1 hour |
| 3. | Line a greased 9" pie tin, then chill again for 30 minutes. Trim any excess. Line with greaseproof paper, and fill with baking beans. |
| 4. | Bake blind at Gas mark 6 / 200°C / 400°F for 20 mins then remove the paper and beans |
| 5. | Brush with a little beaten egg, and place the pastry shell back in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes until pale golden. |
| 6. | Mix sugar, salt, and spices in small bowl, and set aside. |
| 7. | Beat eggs in large mixing bowl, then add pumpkin purée and spice mixture. |
| 8. | Gradually stir in condensed milk. |
| 9. | Place pie tin on oven shelf, then pour mixture into pie shell |
| 10. | Bake at Gas Mark 4 / 180°C / 350°F for 40-50 minutes until firm but there should still be a slight wobble in the middle. |
| 11. | Leave to cool on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour before turning out and serving with a dollop of whipped cream. |
Note
Best eaten on the day you make it, but you can refrigerate any leftovers for about 4 days.
For the pumpkin pie spice mix, see the recipe here.
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