Classic Pumpkin Pie from Scratch (2 Ways)

The traditional pumpkin pie, the sweet siren of autumnal comfort, sits there in all its humble glory, the very essence of Americana, nostalgically ensnared in its buttery, flaky crust. I can almost hear the echoes of distant laughter, crackling fires, and joyous family gatherings reverberating through time as my knife slices through it. Every bite, a luscious melding of dark sugar and piquant pumpkin spice, whispers secrets of generations past, of hearty Thanksgiving feasts, and of times when life was simpler. It's more than a dessert; it's a piece of heritage, an homage to shared history.

Yet, sometimes, tradition needs a light, airy rival to keep things exciting. Enter the pumpkin chiffon pie, a recipe gifted from the culinary genius of my girlfriend's grandmother - the one and only, Grandmaleen. It's not just a pumpkin pie, it's a wisp of a dream, a confectionary delight with a fluffiness that defies gravity, held by the slightest gelatin thread and a delicate, flaky crust. It is as if a gust of wind had decided to flirt with pumpkin and spice, and in their sweet rendezvous, this ethereal creation was born. The pumpkin chiffon is more than a dessert, it's a culinary revelation, a testament to Grandmaleen's ingenuity, her legacy deliciously ensconced in each meringue-touched bite. It's a reminder that even as we honor the past, there's always room for a little innovation in the present. 🤘🏼 Adam

Yield: Two 9-inch Pies

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Classic Pumpkin Pie & Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Cook time: 6 H & 30 MTotal time: 6 H & 30 M

Ingredients

Pumpkin Pie Filling

• 2 cups Pumpkin Puree (425g) *see below
• 3 Eggs (165g)
• 1 1/4 cups Dark Brown Sugar (195g)
• 1 Tbsp Cornstarch (10g)
• 1 1/4 cups Heavy Cream (300ml)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (7g)
• Kosher Salt, to taste

Pumpkin Chiffon Filling

• 3 Eggs, Yolks and Whites divided (50g yolks, 100g whites)
• 1 cup Sugar, divided (220g)
• 1 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree (340g) *see below
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (2g)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Pumpkin Spice (7g)
• 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (120ml)
• 1 packet Unflavored Powdered Gelatin (8g)
• 1/4 cup Cold Water (50ml)

Stabilized Whipped Cream

• 2 cups Heavy Cream (500 ml)
• 4 Tbsp Powdered Sugar (35g)
• 1 Vanilla Bean Pod, insides scraped out
• 1 packet Unflavored Powdered Gelatin (8g)
• 1 Tbsp Cold Water (14ml)
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

Pumpkin Spice Blend

• 1 1/2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon (5 parts)
• 2 tsp Ground Ginger (2 parts)
• 1 tsp Ground Mace (1 part)
• 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg (1 part)
• 1 tsp Ground Clove (1 part)
• 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper (1/2 part)

Pumpkin Puree

• 2 Whole Pumpkins, halved and seeded
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
• Neutral Oil, for coating the pumpkins

Instructions

Day Before Preparation

1. Prepare the pie dough, whipped cream, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin puree a day before baking. Wrap the pie dough tightly and refrigerate it.
2. For the whipped cream, blend heavy cream in a chilled stand mixer bowl until it thickens, then add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Bloom gelatin in water, microwave it, and pour into the cream mixture. Refrigerate the cream.
3. For the pumpkin puree, slice and gut pumpkins, season with salt and neutral oil, and roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until easily pierced with a knife. Remove the skin and puree the pumpkin flesh in a food processor.
4. For the pumpkin spice, toast a blend of nutmeg, clove, ground ginger, cinnamon, mace, and black pepper in a dry pan until fragrant. Grind the spices into a powder.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

1. Roll out a pie dough puck and lay it into a deep tart pan or a regular pie dish. Prick the bottom with a fork and chill in the fridge for an hour.
2. Blind bake the crust at 400 degrees Fahrenheit with foil and pie weights for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, reduce the heat to 350 degrees, and bake for another 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
3. While the crust is baking, make the filling by gently cooking evaporated milk, egg yolks, pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin spice, and salt in a double boiler until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat, add bloomed gelatin, and whisk until blended.
4. Whip egg whites to soft peaks, gradually add sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Fold the meringue into the chiffon filling.
5. Spoon the filling into the baked crust, smooth the top, and refrigerate until fully set.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

1. Roll out the second dough puck into a pie dish, prick the bottom with a fork, and chill in the fridge for an hour.
2. Blind bake the crust at 400 degrees Fahrenheit with foil and pie weights for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and bake for another 5-10 minutes until halfway cooked.
3. While the crust is baking, make the filling by whisking together eggs, heavy cream, and pumpkin puree. Add brown sugar, pumpkin spice, a pinch of salt, and cornstarch, and mix until smooth.
4. Pour the filling into the blind-baked crust, filling it 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for roughly 45 minutes to an hour, or until the center of the pie is just barely set. Let the pie cool for a few hours before serving.

Serving

1. Serve the chiffon pie with a dollop of whipped cream on top, while the traditional pumpkin pie can be served as is. Enjoy these two delightful versions of the classic pumpkin pie.

Adam's Notes

• Shoutout to Grandma Eileen for teaching me her Pumpkin Chiffon recipe - you rock many socks!
• The amount of water needed for the dough is dependent on the humidity of your environment. If it’s super dry in winter, then you’ll likely need closer to 85 grams of water, for example.
• Sub 1 whole Vanilla Bean pod for 1 tsp Vanilla Extract if you’d like.

Stuff that I Use:

Breville Sous Chef 16 cup Food Processor

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

OXO Silicone Measuring Cups

Deep Tart Pan (9.5x2in)

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