The early settlers of Plimoth Plantation, the first permanent European settlement in southern New England, might have made a pumpkin pie by stewing pumpkins, adding spices and milk and kindling it on a fire. Although we see Pumpkin Pies in pictures of that first Thanksgiving, an actual present-day pumpkin pie with crust probably did not exist at this stage. But we have come along way from then to what makes a traditional pumpkin pie from scratch recipe now.
From Martha Stewart to Rachel Ray, there are various recipes for Pumpkin Pies on the web, mostly containing recipes that use canned pureed pumpkin. But if you want your own traditional Pumpkin Pie recipe; a recipe sure to be the best Pumpkin Pie recipe you will ever use, read on.
Prepare Your Pumpkin
At your farmers market or grocery store, find a "Pie Pumpkin", which are small deep-orange pumpkins especially grown to be used for pies. If you want to use a garden-grown pumpkin, be sure to use a dark orange pumpkin. To prepare your pumpkin to be made into a pie:
1. Cut your pumpkin in half.
2. Take out the seeds
3. Cut up the pumpkin into thick slices, pare the outside and cut again down into small pieces.
4. Put it into a large pot or saucepan with a vary little water; let it cook slowly until mushy.
5. When soft, set the pot on the back of the stove on very-low so it will not burn, and cook slowly, stirring often until the moisture is dried out and the pumpkin looks dark and red. It requires cooking a long time, at least half a day, to have it dry and rich.
6. When cool enough, press through a potato masher or sieve.
7. Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Filling Ingredients
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp packed brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 heaping teaspoon of kosher salt
- 16 oz of solid homemade stewed pumpkin, pureed
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs, beaten.
- 1 Tablespoon Apricot Preserves to spread over crust.
For Filling:
- Mix first 6 ingredients in bowl quickly, mixing mixture has no lumps.
- Blend in stewed and pureed pumpkin, whipping cream, sour cream and eggs.Spread preserves over crust; pour in filling.
- Bake until filling puffs at edges and center is nearly completely set, about 55-60 minutes. Cool. Cover with tinfoil; chill until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)
Crust
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour or wheat flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- dash of kosher salt
- 1 stick of cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 cup of ice water
- Blend first 3 ingredients in food processor. You want to give it a quick mix so that they are all equally dispersed.
- Add the butter and process until pea-sized lumps form.
- Add cream and process again until moist clumps form that resemble biscuit dough.
- Gather dough into ball, flatten into disk.
- Wrap in plastic wrap ; chill at least a half hour.
- Roll out dough onto a floured surface to 14-inches around.
- Transfer dough to 9-inch pie dish.
- Cut around the pie, trimming any overhang to an inch.
- Crimp or fold overhang under.
- Freeze 15 minutes.
- Line crust with foil, pressing firmly and wither blind bake with beans or blind bake by poking tons of tiny holes with a fork throughout the crust.
- Bake until sides are set up. This takes about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove foil and beans.
- Bake crust until light golden brown, about 10 minutes more.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- Spread preserves over crust; pour in filling.
- Bake until filling puffs at edges and center is almost set, about 55 minutes.
- Cool, cover and chill.
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Carol Hilker - Carol Hilker is a Freelance writer based in San Francisco, CA. Originally from Chicago, IL, Carol grew up studying theater, dance and ...
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