Serves: 8 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 50-60 mins
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 3-4 tbsp ice water
For the filling:
- 1 can pumpkin puree (or 2 cups roasted pumpkin)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup evaporated milk (or cream for a richer pie)
- Optional: a pinch of freshly ground black pepper for a subtle depth
Garnish:
- Whipped cream or crème fraîche
- Crystallised ginger, finely chopped
- Toasted pecans or walnuts
Method
1. Make the crust:
- Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
- Cut in chilled butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until dough forms a ball.
- Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 190°C
3. Roll out dough:
- On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12-inch circle.
- Fit into a 9-inch pie pan, trim edges, and crimp decoratively.
4. Prepare the spiced filling:
- Whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
- Stir in cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, and optional black pepper.
- Gradually add evaporated milk, whisking until smooth.
5. Bake the pie:
- Pour filling into crust and bake 50-60 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cover edges with foil if crust browns too quickly.
6. Cool and serve:
- Allow pie to cool to room temperature, then chill for 2-3 hours.
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of chopped crystallised ginger, or toasted nuts for a modern twist.
