my (imperfect) pumpkin pie

I seriously do not know how I have had this blog for so long and never blogged this recipe. Every year I have the intention of blogging the multiple pies I make, but never get the chance to photograph it before it’s consumed. Oh and I busted out the Christmas music while I made this, and confession, I am listening to it while I type this. Dang it! I can’t help it! It’s about that time and I am more excited about the holidays this year then I have been in years.

You want to know the secrete to the best pumpkin pie? Homemade pumpkin puree, and whole cream. My pies are never perfect looking, my crust is made with 100% butter so it’s normally a little deformed (as you can tell in the picture). But the imperfections are worth it, the taste makes up for that by ten fold.

For a 8″ pie

Crust:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

dash of salt

about 2 tablespoons ice cold water

Combine the flour, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Toss in the butter cubes, use your hands (don’t you dare use a food processor) to smash the butter into flat pieces into the flour until all the butter is combined in all kinds of sizes. Add the water and toss just until combine. Gather and wrap the dough with plastic wrap and chill while you make the filling.

Filling adapted from Betty Crocker’s cookbook

1 egg

1 1/4 cup home made pumpkin puree

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch ginger

small pinch cloves

1 1/4 cups cream

Heat the oven to 425. Roll out the chilled pastry, and arrange in your pie plate. Beat everything together in a mixing bowl and pour into the crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake for about another 45 minutes longer, or until a knife inserts and comes out clean.