Pumpkin Custard Pie

Thanksgiving is around the corner and I love me a classic Thanksgiving feast. So making pumpkin pie was a no brainer and I wanted to find a way to maintain the classic flavor of pumpkin pie but with a little twist. This is Pumpkin Custard Pie.

Every Thanksgiving I find myself eating: in descending order, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey and maybe some vegetables. In short I go carb crazy. Then, I take a little break…digest and off to the dessert table I go.  

Oddly enough, both my husband and I don’t necessarily like pumpkin pie that much. I find the flavor of pumpkin and all the spices a little too intense for me. By making a custard base for the pumpkin filling, it really adds a wonderful richness to all those spices. The custard base creates the perfect balance of flavor and richness of texture.

I don’t think I’ll ever skip pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving dinner anymore, because this Pumpkin Custard Pie is amazing…it tastes a lot like pumpkin pie ice cream. So good.

Things You Should Know- Pumpkin Custard Pie:

• Butter and water must be very cold when making pie dough. And dough must be really cold before baking.
• Click here for blind baking techniques.
• All pie filling ingredients must be at room temperature before mixing together.
• Do not over bake pie, otherwise it will cause the filling to crack in the middle.
• Allow pie to COMPLETELY cool before refrigerating. This will insure that the filling doesn’t crack and the middle doesn’t sink in.
• Pie is best eaten cold. I suggest making the pie a day ahead. It also tastes better the next day!

Pie crust recipe adapted from Baking: James Peterson.

Pumpkin Custard Pie

Print Recipe

Servings

1 10-inch pie

Servings 1 10-inch pie

Pumpkin Custard Pie Print Recipe Servings 1 10-inch pie Servings 1 10-inch pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup cake flour can also use all-purpose flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs granulated sugar
• 6 oz cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 7 Tbs ice water plus 2 more Tbs if dough is too dry

Filling

• 8 oz sour cream
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk 12 oz can

Servings: 10-inch pie

Instructions

Crust

1. Pour water in a bowl or cup and place in freezer. Cut up butter into 1/2 inch cubes and also place in freezer. Meanwhile, combine both flours (or just AP flour), sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse three times to incorporate ingredients.
2. Remove butter from freezer ( should be almost frozen) and add to food processor, pulse a few times until the butter is the size of peas. Now, remove water from freezer, first add 7 Tbs of water all at once and pulse about four times, if the dough comes together in your hands without crumbling then it's ready. But if it still crumbles and seems dry add one more Tbs only and pulse twice. You don't want the dough to be too wet!
3. Turn the dough and a lightly floured surface and bring together to form a round flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight if desired.
4. When 30 minutes are up, roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-13 inch round. Gently lift with rolling pin or with your hands and slowly ease it into pie pan. Lightly press the edges down, so it fits perfectly all around. Cut the excess dough (but not too much) then fold the overhang and design any way you like. Save scraps and cut out leaves for decoration. Place the dough in freezer and freeze for 15 minutes before baking. While dough is in the freezer, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Blind Baking (link above with video on blind baking): line pastry dough with parchment paper and fill pie pan with dried beans or pie weights. (Place pie pan on a sheet pan for easy removal from oven) Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let crust set for 5 minutes. Have a large bowl next to you and slowly lift the parchment paper and place in prepared bowl (careful beans will still be hot) now take pie dough and bake one more time for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn down heat to 325 degrees F.

Filling

1. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, sugars, salt and spices and whisk until very well combined. Add in the eggs, egg yolk and vanilla and beat very well. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix again. Lastly, add the evaporated milk and whisk until very well combined. Pour filling into baked pie shell and bake at 325 degrees F for 45-50 minutes. Check at 45 minutes.
2. Pumpkin pie should be ready when edges of the filling puff up, and when you gently shake the pie the edges will be firm but the center will be slightly jiggly. Center should not be firm. Remove from oven and allow it to completely cool down to room temperature before storing in fridge.

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