Best Pumpkin Pie

Best Pumpkin Pie

Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (15 minutes active), plus cooling

Servings: 8

9-inch deep pie crust

15-ounce can pumpkin puree

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1¼ cups heavy

whipping cream

Heat the oven to 375 F. If using a homemade or unformed pie crust, arrange it in a pie pan and crimp the edges.

Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the pie crust, then fill it with enough dry beans, uncooked rice or pie weights to come nearly to the top of the pie. Bake for 15 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly. Reduce the oven to 350 F.

While the crust is baking, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.

Heat for 7 minutes, stirring often.

Transfer the pumpkin mixture to a blender or food processor. Puree for about 10 seconds. One at a time, add the eggs and egg yolk, pulsing the blender or processor briefly between each.

With the blender or processor running, slowly pour in the cream and puree until well mixed, about another 10 seconds.

Discard the beans and parchment paper from the pie crust. Slowly pour the filling into the pie crust, then bake for 1 hour, or until the edges are puffed and the center is set and jiggles only slightly.

Cool completely on a rack before cutting.

Pie Crust

Makes 2 pie crusts

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces

½ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

¼ cup cold vodka

¼ cup cold water

To make the crust, in a food processor, combine 1½ cups of flour, the salt and sugar. Pulse several times to mix.

Add the butter and shortening and process until the dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds. The dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour.

Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and redistribute it evenly around the processor blade. Add the remaining flour and pulse 4 to 6 times, or until the flour is evenly distributed through the dough.

Transfer the dough to a medium bowl, then sprinkle the vodka and water over it. Using the rubber spatula, mix the dough and liquid with a folding motion, pressing down on the dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together.

Divide the dough into 2 even balls, then flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes, and up to 2 days.

When the dough has chilled, on a well floured counter roll out each round to a roughly 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a pie pan, crimping any excess over the edge.

(Recipe from Cook's Illustrated magazine)

Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (15 minutes active), plus cooling

Servings: 8

9-inch deep pie crust

15-ounce can pumpkin puree

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1¼ cups heavy

whipping cream

Heat the oven to 375 F. If using a homemade or unformed pie crust, arrange it in a pie pan and crimp the edges.

Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the pie crust, then fill it with enough dry beans, uncooked rice or pie weights to come nearly to the top of the pie. Bake for 15 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly. Reduce the oven to 350 F.

While the crust is baking, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.

Heat for 7 minutes, stirring often.

Transfer the pumpkin mixture to a blender or food processor. Puree for about 10 seconds. One at a time, add the eggs and egg yolk, pulsing the blender or processor briefly between each.

With the blender or processor running, slowly pour in the cream and puree until well mixed, about another 10 seconds.

Discard the beans and parchment paper from the pie crust. Slowly pour the filling into the pie crust, then bake for 1 hour, or until the edges are puffed and the center is set and jiggles only slightly.

Cool completely on a rack before cutting.

Pie Crust

Makes 2 pie crusts

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces

½ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

¼ cup cold vodka

¼ cup cold water

To make the crust, in a food processor, combine 1½ cups of flour, the salt and sugar. Pulse several times to mix.

Add the butter and shortening and process until the dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds. The dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour.

Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and redistribute it evenly around the processor blade. Add the remaining flour and pulse 4 to 6 times, or until the flour is evenly distributed through the dough.

Transfer the dough to a medium bowl, then sprinkle the vodka and water over it. Using the rubber spatula, mix the dough and liquid with a folding motion, pressing down on the dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together.

Divide the dough into 2 even balls, then flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes, and up to 2 days.

When the dough has chilled, on a well floured counter roll out each round to a roughly 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a pie pan, crimping any excess over the edge.

(Recipe from Cook's Illustrated magazine)