Spiced Pumpkin Pie
Does anything feel more like autumn than the smell of spiced pumpkin pie enveloping the house? While pumpkin pie does take a while to bake, think of the delay as an opportunity to sit and take inspiration from the turning leaves outside. You might pick up a book or try your hand at a new craft project. Alternatively, opt to use store-bought short crust pastry instead of making your own to save a little time.
Ingredients
Pastry:
1½ cups flour
1 tbsp caster sugar
Salt, pinch
6 tbsp butter, softened
3-4 tbsp water
Filling:
450g peeled pumpkin
1 cup soft brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup cream
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp allspice
Method
1. Preheat an oven to 180°C.
2. Steam the pumpkin until soft. Set aside.
3. To prepare the pastry, mix the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers to create a dry crumble. Add the water and knead until a smooth pastry forms.
4. Dust a shallow 26cm pie dish and the benchtop with flour.
5. Roll the pastry out onto the floured bench then place it in the pie dish. Trim away any excess. Poke the pastry base with a fork to ensure it won’t puff while baking and bake for 15 minutes.
6. To prepare your pumpkin pie filling, blend the pumpkin until smooth then add the rest of the filling ingredients. Mix well to form a smooth, silky filling.
7. Remove the pastry base from the oven and pour the filling over the base. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 30-50 minutes. When the filling is set with a golden brown surface, it’s done.
Let your spiced pumpkin pie cool a little and serve with your choice of yogurt or ice cream.
