The Pumpkin Play Continues

Mmmm pumpkin,  I know the last few posts have been about pumpkin but tis' the season.

I have one main belief with pumpkin pie, it must contain Mace.  I remember a time when mace wasn't available in Canada. It was thought to be hallucinogenic and when they banned mace spray they also made it impossible to find the spice mace.  I did give up on mace for a year or two when I couldn't find it, it was hard to have pumpkin pie without it.  Now it is back so I make my pie with mace :)

Pumpkin Pie

2 cups Pumpkin Puree (or 1 can - 398ml)

3/4 tsp Salt

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Mace

3/4 tsp ground Ginger

2 dashes Clove

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Evaporated Milk or Cream

3/4 cup Scalded Milk

-Preheat oven to 425.

-Scalded milk and let cool slightly.

-In a bowl mix all ingredients until combined and pour into prepared pie crust. (NB. This recipe makes more then will fit in a store bought crust. So either have some extra tart shells available, or make your own crust and place it in a pie plate that is slightly larger then a store bought.)

-Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.

-Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes

Serve hot or chilled with whipped cream or ice cream.

Thawed pureed pumpkin, this was vintage since it was dated back to 2009.  I thought it was time to use it and it was still good.   Since I freeze pumpkin puree in ziplocs the rectangular pan worked well for thawing it quickly.

Pumpkin and brown sugar, mixed together and ready to go.

I have added the evaporated milk, scalded milk and spices to the pumpkin and sugar mix.  All I need to do is putting into a prepared crust.

I put this one in a pre-made crust but since this recipe makes more then will fit in a pre made crust, I also had to make some pastry dough to fill some small tart shells.

It was lovely since the kids and I shared 1/4 of the pie and the rest went down to the people playing D&D in the basement.

Here is the one of the little tarts that I made with the left over filling with the homemade pastry.

Pastry Dough

Recipe from Simply Recipes

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 cup Butter (very cold and cup into 1/2" pieces)

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Sugar

6-8 tbsp Ice Cold Water

In a food processor add flour, salt and sugar.  Pulse a bit to combine. 

Add butter and pulse 6-8 times, until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter.  Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time, pulsing until mixture begins to clump together.  If you pinch some of the crumbly dough it holds together, it's ready.  If it doesn't hold together, add  a little more water and pulse again.

Remove dough from food processor and place on a clean counter.  Gently shape into 2 flattened disks.  Knead just until the disc forms, do not over knead.  Wrap in plastic wrap and stash in the fridge for at least and hour and up to 2 days.

Remove chilled disc and let sit at room temp for 5-10 minutes to soften the dough enough to roll it.  Roll out on a flour surface.  Carefully place in a 9" pie plate and gently press the dough into the and snip off the sides with 1/2"to 1" over hand.   If I am doing a single crust pie I like to fold it over and crimp it.

Add pie filling.

Then roll out the second disc, same as the first and gently place it on the top, pinch the dough together and trip excess dough.  Fold the top piece over the bottom crust and flute edges using your thumb and forefinger. Score the top of the pie to vent steam.