Baking two separate pies when you are trying to feed a crowd of family and friends at Thanksgiving or other holidays can be a real hassle. So I thought, why not make one large pie that can feed everyone! Baked in a 9- x 13-inch pan, this creamy spiced pumpkin pie is much easier to handle, especially when making and taking this pie to someone's house. You can even bake this in an aluminum foil pan for easy transport; just be sure to double the pans. Find out below the secret ingredient I added to the filling to prevent the gritty texture that can occur when baking pumpkin pies.
Even better: Set up a pumpkin pie dessert bar with a variety of pie toppings, so your guests can choose their favorites. I'll show you how to make a yummy streusel topping, as well as whipped cream and dulce de leche syrup. I'll also give you other ideas for sauces and toppings too!
PIE RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
1 recipe Kelly's Perfect Food Processor Pie Dough, Double Crust
1 recipe Streusel Topping, below
1 recipe Pumpkin Pie Filling, below
STEP I: PREPARE THE PIE DOUGH
1. Make one recipe Kelly's Perfect Food Processor Pie Dough, Double Crust
2. Pat the dough into a square and wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it for at least an hour before rolling.
STEP II: MAKE THE STREUSEL TOPPING
While the dough chills, prepare the streusel topping.
Baking the topping separately keeps the streusel nice and crisp, which is a nice counter-point to the creamy pumpkin custard. Your guests can sprinkle on as much, or as little, as they like.
INGREDIENTS
1 2/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
12 tablespoon (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position an oven shelf to the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet pan with a silpat nonstick mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Sift the ingredients together.
3. Add the brown sugar and combine with a large spoon.
4. Cut-in the cold butter until the mixture resembles large bread crumbs. You can also squeeze the butter and flour mixture in between your fingers to “cut-in”.
5. Pour the topping mixture onto the prepared pan, and spread it evenly all over.
6. Bake topping for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and stir it with a metal spatula, so it bakes evenly.
Make sure to bring in all the areas around the edges to the center, because they will cook first, and you don't want them to burn.
7. Place pan back in oven for 5 minutes, then remove and stir again.
8. Place pan back in oven and bake for 5 more minutes, then stir again.
9. Place pan back in oven for 3-5 minutes, or until ALL of the streusel is golden brown.
10. Remove pan from oven and let topping cool on the baking sheet.
STORAGE
When cool, place it in a resealable plastic bag, or plastic container, to retain crispness.
STEP III: ROLL OUT PIE PASTRY DOUGH AND FIT IN PAN
1. When pie dough, from STEP I has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and roll it out, on a lightly floured surface, to a 14- x 18-inch rectangle.
Use your rolling pin to help you transfer the dough to a 9- x 13-inch pan. There's no need to spray the pan with nonstick oil beforehand.
2. Ease the dough down into the pan, being careful not to stretch it. Trim edges of dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang all the way around.
3. With your fingertips, roll excess dough under, all the way around, then crimp the edge of the pie shell.
4. Place pie shell in the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.
STORAGE
The shaped pie dough can be refrigerated for a day or two or frozen for a month. There's no need to thaw before using.
STEP IV: MAKE THE PUMPKIN PIE FILLING
INGREDIENTS
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoon cornstarch
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 lg. can ( 29 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin; do not use Pumpkin Pie filling
2 cans (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
NOTES: Substitute 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger and cloves
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position an oven shelf in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 425 degrees F.
2. Beat eggs and egg yolk lightly in large bowl until just combined – do not whisk together to produce a lot of air bubbles.
3. Stir in the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.
4. Stir in the pumpkin – do not whip the ingredients together. You do not want to beat air into the ingredients. Make sure the ingredients are well-combined.
SARAH SAYS: Whipping the ingredients can beat air into the pie filling, causing it to rise and then fall in the oven, leading to cracking.
5. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Use a rubber spatula to finish combining the ingredients.
6. Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and place it on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Carefully pour the filling into the pie shell.
7. Bake pie for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for an additional 40 to 45 minutes or until when lightly tapped with a wooden spoon on the pan's side, the pie's filling will jiggle slightly and appear to be set. Do NOT overbake as the pie will crack.
If the edges of the crust begin to brown too much before the filling is done, shield them with strips of aluminum foil.
8. Cool the baked pie thoroughly (takes about 2 hours) on a wire cake rack. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 – 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the filling to set before serving.
SERVE
When you are ready to serve your pie, cut it in squares and allow your guests to top it with the toppings of their choice.
Create a Dessert Bar, with several different topping choices.
Here it is pictured with the Streusel Topping described above, topped with whipped cream and drizzled with dulce de leche syrup, homemade.
You can use prepared caramel sauce from the grocery sauce as well, just to make things easier.
Other topping suggestions are:
Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Rum Raisin Sauce
Bourbon Sauce
STORAGE
Because all custard pies are HIGHLY PERISHABLE, which includes Pumpkin Pie in the category, store well covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. If you don't want to mar its top, place the pie under an inverted bowl in the refrigerator.
Pumpkin Pies don't have a long shelf life; they last a few days in the refrigerator. When in refrigerated storage, sometimes they will “weep” or water will collect in the bottom of the pie.
Do NOT freeze. In theory, baked pumpkin pies can be frozen for 1 – 2 months and then thawed in the refrigerator. But, I have found that the quality of a freshly baked homemade pumpkin pie is usually higher than a frozen one. Whenever I have frozen a baked pumpkin pie, I have never liked the results — custard pies, which include pumpkin pies, can get watery after thawing, ruining the filling and the crust. With pumpkin pies, the texture of the filling suffers — it loses its custard-like and delicate texture and becomes more dense and sort-of heavy and unappealing.
SARAH SAYS: If you purchase an unrefrigerated pumpkin pie, refrigerate it when you get to your destination. Keep it refrigerated.
