If you are looking for a traditional pumpkin pie recipe, this is not the recipe you are looking for.
Many people from outside North America have probably heard of pumpkin pie, but never tried one. And are then slightly bemused and underwhelmed when they are faced in person with the overly-sweet, oddly-vegetably, and somehow still bland dessert.
This recipe pairs a dark, semi-sweet-bitter chocolate crust with a less-sweet pumpkin custard, and just looks good. It also tastes good. It’s based on the bakermama recipe. It is still a work in progress – not 100% happy with the bake temps/time, it tends to crack, but still tastes good.
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease 9-inch round tart tin (with a false bottom). Dust with coco.
- Sift/mix 1 c flour, 0.5 c sugar, 0.5 c coco, and a pinch of ground cardamom. Then stir in 0.5 c melted butter to a crumbly dough.
- Press into the tart tin. I have a metal measuring cup with a smooth base that I find perfect for this. You really want this to be perfect – thin, even sides – as any imperfections will amplify when baked as it puffs slightly.
- Bake (on a flat tray to make it easy to handle) for 10 mins, then cool for at least 10 mins before adding the filling. I like to tamp down the crust again before filling.
Filling:
- Whisk together 425g pumpkin, 150ml sweetened condensed milk, 150ml evaporated milk, a large egg, and about a teaspoon of spice (e.g. cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger). It’s a custard, try not to introduce too many bubbles when whisking, and don’t overpower the pumpkin with the spice.
- Pour into the crust, and level. Bake for 10 mins at 220 °C then 25-30 mins at 180 °C or until set. Set should be relatively firm (e.g. toothpick test) as it should hold when cut.
Serve with gently unsweetened or barely sweetened whipped cream.
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