Pumpkin, Spice, and Everything Nice

Ladies and gentleman, we are in the middle of an epidemic! It's sweeping the nation...no, the GLOBE. It happens this time every year. Pumpkin. It's everywhere, in everything. There's no escaping it. And you know what? I don't want to.

Pumpkin muffins, truffles, ice cream, and lattes. I want it all! Oh, and pumpkin pie. My favorite of all pies. You haven't had pumpkin pie till you've made it from scratch. A smooth, velvety pumpkin custard encased in a  tender, flaky crust. Oh lord, it doesn't get better than that. So what are you waiting for? It's time to get our pie on!

Nothing says autumn like a fresh baked pumpkin pie.

In my opinion, the best part of a pie is the crust. Making it is simple and you'll come out with a great product every time if you follow the golden rule: keep all your ingredients cold! A perfect crust is tender and flaky. With only 4 ingredients, you have to make every step work towards this goal. 

Freeze a portion of the butter and all the flour separately for at least 30 minutes. Keep the other portion of butter refrigerated. The reason we are freezing most of our ingredients is because we do not want our butter to become fully incorporated in the dough when we begin mixing. When you roll out a dough that has small chunks of butter in it, you are creating long layers throughout. These layers produce pockets of steam as the crust is baking, giving us that flaky texture we love oh so much!

This recipe calls for pastry flour. I know it may be a little difficult to find it in a regular grocery store. Have no fear! You can make your own. Use a simple 2:1 ratio of all purpose flour and cake flour, respectively. Don't have cake flour? Just use all purpose. Of course, your curst won't be as flaky (there's that word again!) or tender (yikes!). 

Place your flour and the refrigerated butter in a food processor and process until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. We are finely incorporating this butter into the flour to keep the flour from absorbing too much water later and forming gluten which will make the crust tough. Do not over process though! You then add the frozen butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Add your cider vinegar and only enough water so that when you pinch the mixture together, it starts to hold. 

 Butter left unincorporated serves to separate the layers in the dough, creating flakiness.

Spoon the mixture into a plastic bag and begin kneading it until it forms a ball. Using a bag keeps us from having to incorporate more flour in the dough and is much easier for clean up. 

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Refrigerate overnight. This relaxing period is essential to keep the dough from shrinking while baking. 

The next day, take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, place a layer of plastic wrap down on the counter (I used a silpat, but both will work) and lightly flour. Place the dough on the plastic wrap and put another layer of plastic over it. Begin gently beating the dough with a rolling pin until it forms into a slightly larger disc. This will keep the dough from cracking at the edges when you start rolling. Roll the dough into a 14-inch circle. Try to roll in only one direction (not back and forth), occasionally lifting the dough to make sure it isn't stuck to the plastic wrap and adding a bit more flour. 

Use a template (I used a 13-inch pot lid) to cut the dough into a perfect 13-inch circle.

Fold the dough in half, then fold that half in half. Place this in a 9-inch pie pan and unfold carefully. Tuck any over-hanging dough under itself and crimp with your fingers. 

Wrap the entire pie pan lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Roll up leftover dough and refrigerate for a little while, until cold again. Re-roll and cut out leaf shapes with a sharp knife. Place shapes on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Egg wash the leaves and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown. 

After your crust has rested in the fridge, start your pie filling! Be sure to preheat your oven at least 20 minutes before placing the pie in it. 

Canned puree should be used because it has good consistent quality versus the varying quality of homemade puree. 

Process the cookies and pecans together until finely ground. Don't over process or the oil in the pecans will be released and the mixture will clump. Line the bottom of the pie with the crumbs. This is used to absorb moisture after the pie is baked to keep the crust from becoming soggy.

Combine pumpkin puree, sugar, and spices in a medium sauce pan. Bring mixture up to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook until shiny and thick, 3-5 minutes.

Place the pumpkin mixture in a clean food processor and mix for 1 minute. This processing makes the pie filling extra velvety and smooth. Begin adding the milk and heavy cream while the motor is running. Then add the eggs one at a time until just combined, scraping the container as necessary. 

Pour the filling into the crust. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Make a foil ring and place on the edge of the pie to keep the crust from over browning and bake for 15-30 minutes longer until the filling is mostly set, with the center giggling slightly. Keep an eye on it. If the center becomes fully set, it's over baked.

Let your pie cool on a rack for at least 2 hours. Place your leaf decorations on top and enjoy!

**I have provided both volume and weight measures for ingredients. If you have a scale, use it! Weighing ingredients is a lot more accurate and much easier than volume measuring.**

Flaky Pie Crust

Adapted from The Pie and Pastry Bible

8 tbsp (113 g) butter, cold 

11/3 cups + 4 teaspoons (184 g) pastry flour*  

1/4 teaspoon salt 

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 tablespoons (37 to 52 g) water 

1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) apple cider vinegar 

1. Divide butter into two portions: 2.5 oz and 1.5 oz (5 tablespoons and 3 tablespoons)
2. Cut butter into 3/4 inch cubes. Wrap each portion with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the 2.5 oz portion and freeze the 1.5 oz portion for at least 30 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, place flour and salt in a ziplock bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes. 
4. Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside.
5. Add the refrigerated butter to the flour and process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. 
6. Add the remaining frozen butter cubes and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. (toss with a fork to see better)
7. Add the lowest amount of ice water and the vinegar and pulse 6 times. Pinch a small amount together between your fingers. If it doesn't hold together, add half the remaining water and pulse 3 times. Try pinching the mixture again. If necessary, add the remaining water, pulsing 3 times to incorporate it. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together without being pinched. Don't over mix!
8. Spoon mixture into reserved ziplock bag. Hold both ends of bag opening with your fingers and knead it by alternatively pressing it, from the outside of the bag with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretched when pulled. 
9. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Refrigerate overnight. 

*If you do not have pastry flour, you can make your own blend by combining 122 grams of bleached all-purpose flour with 62 grams of cake flour. Or you can substitute the full amount of pastry flour with all-purpose flour, although the end product will not be as tender. 

Pumpkin Pie

Adapted from The Pie and Pastry Bible

1 recipe flaky pie crust

29 g or 4 gingersnap cookies  

1/4 cup (25 g) pecan halves  

Filling:

1 3/4 cup (425 g) unsweetened pumpkin puree 

3/4 cup packed (163 g) light brown sugar  

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon  

1/2 teaspoons salt

2/3 liquid cup (160 g) whole milk

2/3 cup liquid cup (153 g) heavy cream

3 large eggs (150 g)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Using two sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap, roll the dough 1/8 inch thick or less and large enough to cut a 13 inch circle. Transfer it to a 9 inch pie pan and tuck the overhanging pastry under itself. Using your hands to crimp the edges. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hrs.
2. Re-roll the scraps, chill, and cut out decorative designs such as leaves. (Bake them separately on a small baking sheet at 400°F for 6-10 minutes or until golden brown.)
3. Preheat oven to 375°F at least 20 minutes before baking your actual pie. Plan to bake directly on the floor of the oven, or set an oven shelf at the lowest level and place a baking stone or cookie sheet on it before preheating.
4. Process the gingersnaps and pecans until finely ground. Sprinkle them over the bottom of the pie crust and, using your fingers and the back of a spoon, press them into the dough to coat the entire bottom, going about 1/2 inch up the sides. Keep refrigerated until pumpkin filling is ready.
5. In a small heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a sputtering simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes or until thick and shiny. 
6. Scrape the mixture into a food processor and process for 1 minute. With the motor on, add milk and cream, processing until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the work bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, processing just to incorporate, about 5 seconds after each addition; add the vanilla along with the last egg. 
7. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and set it directly on the floor of the oven (or on the baking stone). Bake the pie for 30 minutes and then protect the crust edges with a foil ring. Bake for an additional 15-30 minutes or just until a knife inserted between the sides and center comes out almost clean. The center should still jiggle slightly. The filling will have puffed and the surface dulled, except for the center. 
8. Place the baked pie on a rack to cool. When cool, the surface will be flat. If you have made decorative designs, place them on it now.