1 single crust pie shell for a 9-inch pie plate
FILLING:
15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
INSTRUCTIONS
Roll out the pie crust (see this post for a step-by-step) and gently place it into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming and fluting the edges. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to a day or so).
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line the crust with foil and pour in dried beans or pie weights (I've even used wheat berries) until completely full. Bake the pie crust for 15 minutes. Gently remove the foil and weights (or beans) and bake another 10 minutes until the dough no longer looks raw on the bottom. Remove from the oven while preparing the filling.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugars, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and vanilla until well-combined. Add the eggs, cream and milk and whisk until smooth (don't overmix or the pie will have a tendency to crack).
Place the pie shell on a baking sheet and pour the filling into the warm pie shell.
Bake for 10 minutes, without removing the pie, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 45-55 minutes longer until the pie is set and golden on top. If the crust starts to overbrown, cover it with foil strips or a pie shield partway through baking.
Serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
NOTES
Pie Crust: Mel likes to prebake the pie crust; it helps eliminate some of the gummy bottom crust common in pumpkin pie but if that doesn't bother you, you can forego that step and pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. If you do that, still refrigerate the pie crust for an hour or so after placing it in the pan so it doesn't shrink while baking.
Recipe and Photo from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
