Recipe: Pumpkin Pie

An American (and personal childhood) favourite – pumpkin pie is the perfect Halloween treat and a great way to make the most of all those scary pumpkins.

Especially with the added hint of maple syrup and dusting the tin with some coco power to give a lovely bitterness to offset the sweet pie filling.

Living in New Jersey pumpkin pie was a firm favourite with the kids on our block this is a simple and delicious recipe that really does make the most of all those cheap pumpkins we have at Halloween – and for the rest of the year you can use a Butternut Squash.

Ingredients:

500gms raw pumpkin flesh (or butternut squash for the other 11 months of the year)

100gms brown soft sugar

4 tablespoons maple syrup

150 ml double cream

3 eggs beaten

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon of allspice

1/2 teaspoon grated of nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

Good pinch salt

Few good grinds of black pepper

Ready made shortcrust pastry

Flour, Butter and Coco powder for dusting

Method:

Pastry: First butter your pastry tin, then with equal quantities of coco powder and flour (mixed together) dust the tin and remove any excess dusting.

Roll out your shortcrust pastry and place in the pastry tin. Lay a sheet of greaseproof paper over your pastry and add some baking balls (I use some uncooked rice which works just as well!).

Blind bake for 30 minutes at 180f.

Remove the baking sheet and weight and put back in the oven for five minutes to dry out the base. Once done remove from the oven and let cool.

Filling: A note on pumpkins – the smaller they are the sweeter they will be. However, for me, Pumpkin Pie is about wholesome comfort food and a great way to make something delicious out of something really cheap that you’re buying anyway to stick a tealight in and sit on your windowsill – why waste all that lovely food?!

So, get your regular run of the mill pumpkin and cut out the pumpkin flesh (not the skin) into similar sized cubes (1-2 inches square), drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven at 180f for around 25-30 minutes. You want a slight colour and the flesh to be soft to the touch.

Once cooled, blend the pumpkin flesh (or mash really well) and push through a course sieve to remove any stringy pieces. Then add the rest of the ingredients: 100gms brown soft sugar 4 tablespoons maple syrup 150 ml double cream 3 eggs beaten 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon of allspice 1/2 teaspoon grated of nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger Good pinch salt Few good grinds of black pepper Give it a really good mix (it will look a lot lighter in colour than the picture – but don’t panic the pie will deepen in colour and become much richer once you’ve cooked it).

Pour the mixture into your cooked pastry base, pop in the oven at 180f for about 30-40 mins (check at 30!) it will be browned, firm with a very slight wobble.

Test by inserting a sharp knife into the pie – if it comes out clean it is cooked, if not, pop it back into the oven for five minutes.

Remove and let cool.

Goes well scary Halloween outfits, screaming kids and fireworks in the sky (oh, and a decent dollop of clotted cream!)