2cupsPumpkin Puree fresh pumpkin puree baked and pureed from real pumpkin or canned pumpkin
1/2cupBrown Sugar
1/4cupMolasses or maple syrup
4Large Eggs
1cupHeavy Cream sweetened condensed milk or coconut cream can be used
1 1/2tbspPumpkin pie spicehomemade from individual spices
1tspOrange zest
1/2tspFresh ginger grated the secret ingredient for extra zing
1/4tspSalt
Instructions
Pumpkin Pie Crust
Preheat the oven temperature to 400Place parchment paper on top of a baking sheet. Choose to use either a 9-inch pie pan for a traditional pumpkin pie or wide-mouth Mason jar lids for individual easy pumpkin pies to serve on a platter.
Place butter, flour, sugar, salt and spice in the food processor and pulse a few times. Pour in the pre-whisked egg and turn the machine back on until a ball is formed. If dry, add a little cold water at a time. If too wet, add a little flour at a time until a ball is formed.
Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and with a rolling pin, roll out the pie shell to fit the pie dish or individual tart pans. Carefully transfer the uncooked crust to the pie dish. The best way to do this is to the roll the dough around the rolling pin, and then unroll it over the pie plate. If using individual tart pans, you will simply press out rounds in the dough with a biscuit cutter, the size of the tart tins. Place each round of dough into the tins and shape into place.
Once the dough is in the pie dish or tart tins, crimp the edges and with a fork lightly prick the bottom of the crust. Set aside any extra dough to make cutouts on top of the pie. Crust is now ready to fill.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
Whisk the eggs with sugar. Add pumpkin and molasses and whisk well. Sprinkle the spice, zest, ginger and salt on top and whisk again. Slowly pour in the cream while whisking.
Pour the batter into the prepared crust or tart crusts, taking care not to put too much filling in, about 3/4 the way up.
Transfer the pie dish or tart pans onto the prepared sheet pan. Place in the oven for just 10-minutes. Now is the time to roll out the extra dough, if you are choosing to place dough cutouts on top.
After 10-minutes, turn down the oven to 325, take the pie out to place dough cutouts on top, place back in the oven and continue to bake until the custard is firm and shows signs of beginning to form little cracks in the custard. The time will vary, depending on the pan, about 40-minutes for a deep dish pie plate and about 18-minutes for the small tart size pies.
If you are not placing an added dough cut out on top of the pie, a simple and luscious dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream with a sprinkle of pumpkin spice will be delicious too.