This delicious pie is a lovely spiced, warming autumn treat. Juliet likes to make hers extra deep-filled and uses a double-depth fluted tin, however, if you only have a shallow tin you can still make it and you’ll have a little more excess pastry. It’s lovely to bake the scraps or if you have kids let them make little shapes using pastry cutters. You will also need to reduce the filling quantity by a third.
MAKES: 1 deep pie
SERVES: 8-12
EQUIPMENT
- 23cm/9in deep fluted, loose bottomed flan tin
- Baking beans/uncooked rice
- Pastry brush
- Rolling pin
- Fork
- Electric hand whisk/stand mixer
- Food processor
- Baking parchment
- Baking sheet
INGREDIENTS
For the base:
- 250g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
- 170g cold butter, diced
- 55g light muscovado sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 medium egg, yolk and white separated (keep the white for brushing the cooked pastry case)
- 1 tbsp ice-cold water
For the filling:
- 3 large eggs
- 190g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp mixed spice
- ¾ tsp ground ginger
- 1 large pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 can of tinned pumpkin puree (weight approx. 415g when taken out of the tin) 300ml evaporated milk
Optional:
The spiced pumpkin pie is lovely by itself simply dusted with icing sugar mixed with a touch of ground cinnamon or you can serve it with vanilla ice cream, whipped double cream or crème fraiche.
METHOD
- To make the pastry, put the flour and butter into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively, rub the butter into the flour using your fingers.
- Add the sugar and cinnamon and pulse a couple of times (or stir) to combine.
- Add the egg yolk and approx. 1 tbsp of ice-cold water, just enough to bring the pastry together and pulse (or stir with a blunt-ended cutlery knife) until the pastry comes together. Do not over process, or the pastry will be tougher.
- Lightly dust a work surface with plain flour, roll out the pastry and use to line the tin. It may break up in places but simply patch up where is needed. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 30 minutes. Any excess pastry can be rolled out and baked in different shapes – a good activity for kids and big kids. It’s always easier to roll out a little more than needed so you can line the tin neatly and easily.
- Preheat oven to 180°C fan.
- Add a baking sheet to the shelf you’re going to bake on. Line the pastry with a large square of baking parchment, it helps if you scrunch it up then open it out, as it will sit closer into the case, then fill with ceramic baking beans or uncooked rice. Put the tin on the baking sheet, then bake for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and beans or rice, return the tin to the oven and bake for a further 5-8min, or until the pastry is cooked through and golden.
- Reduce oven temperature to 150°C fan.
- To make the pie filling, lightly beat the eggs, sugar, spices and vanilla in a large bowl using an electric hand whisk/stand mixer or whisk until pale and fluffy. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
- Now stir in the pumpkin puree gently and lastly the evaporated milk, keeping it aerated.
- Slowly pour the pumpkin mixture into the cooked pastry case and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the filling feels lightly firm. Leave to cool completely.
- Chill before serving.
Top tip 1 : To avoid a soggy bottom, brush all over the hot pastry with egg white as soon as you remove it from the oven, while scorching hot, this will seal the pastry.
Top tip 2: I don’t chill my pastry, I find it easier to roll straight out when it’s mixed, then place in the fridge or freezer to chill completely before baking.
Professional baker and author, Juliet Sear has created this delicious recipe exclusively for Rangemaster using her Elise 110cm Dual Fuel range cooker.
