blind baking

Custardy Pumpkin Pie

2010, celebrations, cooking, holidays

This is simply THE best!  From Cook’s Illustrated

First made Thanksgiving 2010

Combine:

  • 1 c heavy cream
  • 1 c milk
  • 3 eggs + 2 yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Whisk these ingredients together in a large measuring cup and set aside

In a large saucepan, add:

  • 15 oz canned pumpkin (small can)
  • 15 oz candied yams, drained
  • 3/4 c sugar
  • 1/4 c maple syrup
  • 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Heat all ingredients on medium to a sputtering simmer (7 minutes).  Continue to cook till thick and shiny (another 10-15 minutes).  Lumps of potato should be gone and the filling should be pretty smooth.  This will prevent excess loss of solid during straining.

Whisk milk mixture into the pumpkin mixture  in the saucepan (temper first!) while still warm, but not super hot.  Then press mixture though a sieve back into the measuring cup.  Pour into blind-baked shells and bake at 400 degrees X 10 minutes, the 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes till center 2 inches is still jiggly.

Total amount of filling and bake time is highly dependent on how fine the sieve is!  If crust is browning too quickly, cover with foil.

This recipe can make 2 small shallow pies or one large pie.

Blind baking the pie crust.

  1. Roll out the crust so there is a half in overhang.  Tuck the over hang under and crimp.  Crimping prevents the crust from sliding down the pan.
  2. Dock the sides and bottom of the pan
  3. Place in the freezer for about 2 hours
  4. Set oven at 350 degrees
  5. Cover crust with crumpled parchment paper, and fill with rice until almost the top of the crust
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove parchment and rice and continue to bake another 5 minutes.  Crust should be crisp but not too browned