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On Thanksgiving, Nothing Beats Classic Pumpkin Pie

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:30:43 -0800

As much as I love experimenting with alternative pumpkin desserts like pumpkin layer cake and mini baklava pumpkin tarts, sometimes nothing is better than the beloved standby, classic pumpkin pie. This year I tried out an old-fashioned style recipe.

The delicious crust is flaked with pecans, and the filling is a mixture of pumpkin puree, molasses, and sour cream. The resulting pie is silky with a rich pumpkin flavor that's not too sweet. Rum-spiked whipped cream is an ideal and necessary topping that takes this pie over the edge. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie With Pecan Pastry Crust
From The New Thanksgiving Table

Ingredients

For the crust:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and finely ground
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) ice-cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup ice-cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons ice water
For filling:
3 1/2 cups or 2 cans (15 ounces each) unsweetened pumpkin puree
7 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups sour cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons milk
sugar for sprinkling
For topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum or one tablespoon pure maple syrup

Directions

Make the crust: Combine the 2 1/4 cups flour, the pecans, salt, and granulated sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Scatter the butter and shortening pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the sour cream and water and process for a few seconds, just until the dough begins to form. Do not over process. (To make the dough by hand, place the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut the butter and shortening into the flour mixture. Add the sour cream and ice water, and mix just until the dough comes together and forms a mass.)
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, gathering all the loose bits, and form into a disk about 1-inch thick. Cut the dough into 2 pieces, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
Have 2 9-inch pie pans ready. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 piece of dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Dust the work surface and dough with a little more flour, as necessary, to keep the dough from sticking. Roll the dough around the rolling pin, lift it over the pie pan, and unroll the dough over the pan. Adjust to center the dough, then press it into place, Trim the excess dough by running a knife around the edge of the pan. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Refrigerate the pie crusts while you make the filling.
To make the filling: in a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, egss, molasses, granulated sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Blend in the sour cream and heavy cream. Whisk until smooth and no white streaks are visible. Set aside.
To assemble the pies, divide the pumpkin filling between the chilled pie shells. Use a pastry brush to brush milk on the edges of the pastry. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake the pies for about 40 minutes until the filling just begins to puff at the edges and the center no longer jiggles when gently shaken. Turn off the oven and leave the pies, undisturbed, in the oven with the door ajar for 20 minutes. Transfer the pies to wire racks and let cool completely.
Meanwhile make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the cream, confectioners' sugar, and rum. Using a whisk or electric mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Slice the pies into wedges, top with whipped cream and serve.

Makes two 9-inch pies.

Make ahead: The pie dough can be made, wrapped tightly, and frozen up to 3 weeks in advance. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out. The filling can be made up to 1 day in advance. Place in a covered container and refrigerate. The whipped cream can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The pie is best when baked the day you are planning to serve it.

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Come Party With Me: Bold Flavorful Thanksgiving - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:15:15 -0800

I'm a fan of trying out new recipes on Thanksgiving, but I always like to serve some sort of pumpkin dessert. It doesn't matter if it's pie, cookies, or ice cream - as long as it's pumpkiny. To finish a meal that is full of vibrant colors and bold flavors, I would offer guests a spirited twist on the classic crème brûlée. Pumpkin puree and brown sugar make this smooth and creamy treat perfect for turkey day.

Crème brûlée is also great because you can get people up and moving after the big meal: invite everyone to sugar and blow torch their own crème brûlée! To get this recipe, which can be prepared in advance, read more.

Pumpkin and Brown-Sugar Crème Brûlée
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
5 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups heavy whipping cream
8 tablespoons raw sugar or golden brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk pumpkin, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in large bowl. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla, then spices and salt.
Bring cream just to boil in medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot cream into pumpkin mixture.
Divide mixture among eight 5x1-inch ramekins. Divide ramekins between 2 large roasting pans. Add enough hot water to pans to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
Bake until custards are just set in center, about 35 minutes. Chill custards until cold, about 6 hours. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon raw sugar over pumpkin custard in each ramekin. Using kitchen torch, melt sugar until deep amber. Alternatively, use broiler. Place ramekins on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with brown sugar [not raw sugar] and melt directly under broiler until deep amber. Refrigerate 15 minutes to allow sugar to harden. Can be made 1 hour ahead. Keep chilled.

Serves 8.

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Have You Ever Roasted Pumpkin Seeds?

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:30:50 -0800

Last week, I made toasted pumpkin seeds for the first time ever, following a two-step boil-and-bake method. They were so crispy and savory, I couldn't believe I'd never done it before, and was already dreaming of making them again. How about you?

Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice

partysugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:50:09 -0800

For years I thought pumpkin pie spice was a special spice - only recently did I realize it's actually a spice blend. And, like any spice blend, be it herbs de Provence or a rub for barbecue, pumpkin pie spice is easy to make. Why waste a couple of bucks buying it when you already have the ingredients in your pantry?! All you have to do is stir together ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and voila! You can use it throughout the holiday season. To get the simple recipe, keep reading.

Healthy Holiday Swap: DIY Pumpkin Yogurt

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:47:40 -0800

I love pumpkin-flavored anything - pies, muffins, cheesecake, even ice cream! But gorging on too many sweet pumpkin treats can leave me with a sick stomach full of unhealthy fats and sugars. One way I've been satisfying my pumpkin cravings is by making my own pumpkin-flavored yogurt at home.

It's really easy to do, just mix plain yogurt with canned pumpkin puree. If you're trying to cut back on sugar, use 100 percent pure pumpkin puree and add your own spices and sweetener. If you want the instant flavors of pumpkin pie, mix yogurt up with canned pumpkin pie puree that's been sweetened with sugar and spices.

I sometimes use vanilla yogurt with the pure pumpkin mix just to give it a little sweetness, and if I'm craving the texture of pumpkin pie, a nice sprinkling of healthy granola or oats seems to do the trick.

Share your healthy snack ideas in our Snack Attack group!

Celebrate the Season With Pumpkin Brownies

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:15:34 -0800

Now that everyone knows that solid packed pumpkin is nothing but 100 percent pure pumpkin, here is a delicious and unexpected Thanksgiving dessert that combines pumpkin with brownies. The spiciness of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne in the pumpkin layer complements the sweetness of the rich brownie layer. I halved the original recipe and rather than bake them in a square pan, I opted to use a mini muffin pan. With a smaller pan, they didn't swirl as well, but it did create a distinct two-layer presentation with just enough richness in the bite-size dessert. If you are over the traditional pumpkin pie, give these delectable pumpkin brownies a try and keep reading for the recipe.

10 Dishes to Get You Excited For Thanksgiving

partysugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:50:50 -0800

Just ask YumSugar, there's no one who gets more excited about Thanksgiving than yours truly. It's my favorite holiday and while I've been telling myself not to worry about it, the time has come: We are officially in November and I'm ready to talk turkey. And mashed potatoes. And gravy. And cranberry sauce. Well, you get the idea! To encourage you to start thinking about the big day, I rounded up our best Thanksgiving recipes.

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Know Your Ingredients: Solid Pack Pumpkin

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:00:10 -0800

Recently, a co-worker came to me with a number of questions about canned, solid pack pumpkin: Is it sweetened? Does it have spices in it? What is it used for?

Well, Alexis - and anyone else curious to know - here's the answer you've been waiting for. Solid pack pumpkin is exactly that: just pumpkin, and nothing else (despite the misleading pumpkin pie that is often on the label). It's sometimes called pumpkin purée or "100% pure pumpkin" to distinguish it from the similarly named canned pumpkin pie filling, which contains sugar and spices.

Although you can make it yourself, buying solid pack pumpkin - which is free of preservatives - saves you the effort of seeding, roasting, scooping, and blending pumpkin flesh until smooth. The purée can be used as a time-saving measure when making pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin soup.

Have you ever bought solid pack pumpkin? What did you use it for?

How to Find the Great Pumpkin

BellaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:19 -0700

If October were a color, it would have to be the rich, buttery orange of a pumpkin, and if it were scent, you know it would be a cool breeze wafting the aroma of pumpkin pie redolent with cinnamon and nutmeg (with whipped cream on top and a mug of caramel apple cider to drink, of course). So, for my nose (and my stomach), it's a very good thing that this month, all the swoon-worthy pumpkin beauty products roll out. I looked around the Internet for all that was cute and delicious, and I came back with a whole patch full of goodies. This year, there's everything from adorable Lush the Great Pumpkin soap to pumpkin-pudding toothpaste and pumpkin spice lip gloss. Click through and slake your craving for delicious gourdy goodness.

Happy Hour: Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale

YumSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:15:11 -0700

These days, my street isn't the only thing covered with pumpkins; so is my kitchen. I've been using the gourds in everything from moist pumpkin bread to chicken pumpkin stew, and so I decided it was high time I enjoyed it in ale form, too. Although it's believed early American icons like George Washington and Ben Franklin enjoyed pumpkin ales, one Bay Area craft brewhouse, Buffalo Bill's, brought the beer back into vogue when it became known for its special blend in the 1980s.The whisky-colored amber ale ($7.99 for six), which is brewed with fresh roasted pumpkins and malted barley, possesses only a delicate squash flavor, but has lingering pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg that become more prominent as the beer warms. Because it doesn't have a malty flavor or the bitter taste of hops, Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin a great find for people who aren't that into traditional beer. What's your favorite Fall ale?

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