In the Kitchen with Adrienne Kane

Adrienne Kane was in the Kitchen today sharing her recipe for a traditional, made-from-scratch Pumpkin Pie.

Pumpkin Pie

½ recipe pie dough (recipe follows)

 

1¼ cup drained pumpkin purée

½ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon flour

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Preheat oven to 400°.

On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 of an inch thick, and will fit a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the sides of dough to leave a one-inch overhang.  Fold the dough under, and then decoratively crimp the perimeter.  Return pie shell to the refrigerator to chill until filling is ready.

In a medium-sized bowl mix the pumpkin, sugars, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and flour until thoroughly combined.  In a small bowl, mix the eggs, cream, milk, and vanilla until well blended.  Pour egg mixture into pumpkin mixture, stirring to blend.  Set aside.

Remove pie shell from the refrigerator.  Pour filling into shell and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until filling is almost set. Pie will be complete, when filling still looks slightly undercooked in the center.  The pie will continue to bake from the residual heat after it is removed from the oven. However, if crust is getting too dark during the baking process, cover pie with foil, and continue baking.  Remove from the oven, and cool to room temperature before enjoying.

Standard Pie Dough

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into ½ inch cubes

6 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into ½ inch cubes

6-10 tablespoons iced water

Makes enough for one 9-inch double-crusted pie, or two 9-inch pie shells.

With a whisk, in a large bowl, stir flour, sugar, and salt together until well blended, and free of lumps.  Add the butter and the shortening, tossing gently in the flour.  With your fingertips, blend until mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Work the fats into the flour, rubbing the larger pieces of butter and shortening until the mixture resembles gravel.  Sprinkle on the water, one tablespoon at a time, starting with 3 tablespoons, then gradually adding more water if needed.  Blend with your fingertips, as little as possible, pulling the meal together and creating a dough.  The dough will become less sticky, and more of a mass when enough water has been added. Finally, knead minimally in the bowl to make sure the dough has just enough moisture.

Separate the dough in half.  One mound of dough should weigh approximately 10½   ounces.  Gently form into a disk, roughly ¾ inch tall.  Place disks in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to two days before rolling out.  Dough can be frozen for up to 1 month, and defrosted in the refrigerator before using.