Liberating the Pumpkin Pie...

Yesterday, my smallest daughter reminded me once again that I had promised to make her a pumpkin pie. I had been putting it off and putting it off...baking all sorts of other things instead. Things that seemed more "seasonally appropriate".  You know, things like lemon bars, strawberry cakes, and sugary muffins. All these things were springy and bright and colourful...just like the weather was becoming. I had barely scraped through a long, cold winter. Why in the world would I want to bake a Thanksgiving Pie?? I had had enough of all things "last season"! But she looked at me with those big brown eyes and reminded me that I had PROMISED! Dang! 

Now I had to make her that pie. And so I did. And it was the best pumpkin pie I have ever made. Ever. Same recipe I have used since college and baked year after year. But this time, something was different. It was better. I think my smallest daughter may have been on to something...pumpkin pie needed to be liberated from the shackles of it's cold and snowy reputation. Hehehehehe...Pumpkin Pie tastes even better in the Spring! 

So, let's get started...

Simple Pie Crust...

Mix up 2 and 1/2 cups white sifted flour with 1tsp salt

Cube up 1 cup of lard into your dry ingredients

Use pastry cutter to mix 

Lard should be pea sized before you add any water. 

Now you can begin to slowly add nearly 80z (250ml) of cold, cold water.

Mix with your hands to make a soft dough ball.

Do not mush or mangle. Try to keep those chunks of lard intact.

     And there you have it...enough pastry for a bottom and a top, or two bottoms!

Now that you have a nice soft dough ball, divide it in two and roll out on a floured surface...

Roll it and flip it a couple of times, then roll until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

Then fold it in half, place it over your deep pie dish and unfold...

Then slice the edges off with a sharp knife...

With the remaining dough, you can choose to make your pie a little prettier by cutting out little circles and placing them on your pie's edge with a little cream...

When your pie crust looks the way you want it to, paint cream on all the edges and sprinkle with white sugar...

This will make your crust crispy and sweet on the edges.

NOW YOU ARE READY TO MAKE THE FILLING!

Whisk 4 eggs together...

Then pour in a 28oz/796ml can of pure pumpkin, 2 cups packed brown sugar and the following spices..

                                  

                          2 tsp cinnamon  1 tsp nutmeg  1/2 tsp ginger

Add 1/2 tsp kosher salt

And mix

Pour in 350ml of evaporated milk and stir well.

Pour into your empty unbaked pie shell.

Cover your pie edges with foil or baking paper so your pretty crust doesn't burn, as a deep dish pie has to bake for quite awhile.

Bake at on top shelf at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat and bake for 50-60 minutes longer

Let cool.  Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar, and enjoy!

Happy Spring, Pumpkin Pie!

The Recipe in Short...

PIE CRUST

2 and 1/2 cups white flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup lard

8oz or 250ml cold water

FILLING

28oz or 796ml pure pumpkin

4 eggs

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp kosher salt

350ml evaporated milk (or 2x3/4 cups)

Bake at 425 15 min

Reduce heat, bake at 350 for 50-60 min