Pumpkin Pie

A Pumpkin Pie! People I know in India would even fall off their chairs in amazement at the thought of this being made as a dessert. Pumpkin and desserts going together is a relatively new concept here.

But trust me, you will relish every morsel of it in desserts. It is addictive, it gives a body to the mixture, it is full of nutrients and lo and behold, it is also available easily, at a very low cost!

In fact, one of the biggest crowd pleasers at my bake sales is the pumpkin cake. Peoplecome back for another slice, just to eat it to try and understand why they like it so much!

The pumpkin brownie is another delicious pumpkin recipe. Well, today I am going to share how I make the pumpkin pie from scratch. The recipe does not have condensed milk, but it does require whipping cream. So hear goes, pumpkin pie made with whipped cream, with whipped cream topping, and totally delicious and tasty!

You can choose any base of your choice, but I am sharing the healthy pie base that I make for these desserts. It is made with healthy ingredients such as oats and almonds and millets. And quite delicious. You can get the recipe here.

Steps to the Pumpkin Pie

The key is planning! Make a larger batch of the pumpkin puree, save some in the freezer because youare going to want to make it again! Or make anyof the other recipes you can make with it, that I have linked below.

I do this since it is the longer step and needs baking. You are not really doing anything, but you are spending electricity. So you might as well get your money’s worth! So it is better you make a little larger quantity and use it in multiple recipes as I have suggested below. See pictures for a better understanding.

The Pumpkin

Get hold of a small pumpkin. (Refer to notes at the end in case you cannot find a full pumpkin.) Cut into two from the top, right through the stalk. Be careful! Use a strong, long knife. And a cutting board on a stable surface. So you have two halves of a pumpkin.

Use a spoon to scrape out all the seeds. Don’t throw the seeds away! You can use it to make a delicious snack for yourself. Check the recipe here.

Brush oil all over. Now on your baking tray, spread a parchment paper. Put the pumpkin cut side down on it. This ensures it cooks through without becoming too dry. Bake this at 160°C for around 1 to 1 1/2 hours or till a knife goes though the pumpkin skin without any resistance. Cool.

Now with a spoon, you can scoop out all the lovely cooked pumpkin into a bowl. Grind and store this in a bottles to make two pies. Or one pie and some pumpkin butter… totally delicious! Sharing my favourite recipe here.

The Base for the Pie

Follow the steps given here if you want the healthy and tasty one make with millets and all things good. It is tasty, and healthy. Give it a try! Here is the recipe.

However, if you prefer to make the usual pie base with maida and butter, you can go ahead and follow any of your favourite recipes. Let me know if you want me to suggest, in the comments below.

The Whipped Cream

Now, what many don’t realise, is that fresh cream and whipping cream are two different products. Fresh cream is generally made with dairy fat, while the whipping cream carton usually contains a non dairy product that lasts longer on desserts, whips faster and looks really authentic! It is relatively low in fat content.

So go for a carton that clearly specifies whipping cream. Many brands sell it online also, if not available in your locality, try visiting the nearest shop that sells all materials for making cakes. The place home bakers buy stuff from. I guarantee, they can get it for you.

Store the carton in the freezer. When you need it, you can thaw it overnight in the fridge section. Pour out around 3/4 cups for this recipe. Whip until soft peaks are formed and refrigerate until needed. You can do this a day before the actual day of making the pie. And yes, remember to return the carton to the freezer immediately. It stays for months if you take care of it in this way.

And now you can make the Pumpkin Pie!

On the day you want to make the pie, take equal quantities of pumpkin puree and whipped cream and mix gently with powdered sugar to taste. Add a teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix (refer to notes) to get the aroma of the bake invading every corner of the house… Or some vanilla essence.

Pour on the prepared base and bake at 150 °C for 45 minutes. The pie filling would still be soft to touch. That is fine. Let it sit in the oven for an hour more. When cool, refrigerate.

Let it chill completely.

To serve, top with a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle some of the pumpkin spice on top and ENJOY!

Pumpkin Pie

Recipe by Sheetal RabindranCourse: DessertCuisine: WesternDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

3

hours 

Ingredients

• 1 cup of pumpkin puree from can or homemade (refer to notes)

• 2 cups whipped cream, sweetened with powdered sugar (I add 3 tsps after the cream is partially whipped.

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (or to taste, refer notes)

• 1/2 tsp fresh pumpkin spice (see notes) or vanilla essence

• 1 pie base made with any recipe, you can use the healthy one described here

Directions

• Mix 1 cup of pumpkin puree with sugar and mix well. Add the pumpkin spice or the essence.
• Gently fold in 1 cup of whipped cream.
• Pour on the prepared, ‘baked blind’ base. See recipe for instructions about this. However, if you are in a hurry, you can go ahead and bake the base and the pie filling together.
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 1 hour at 150 °C. Now cool in the oven itself.
• Chill the pie in the fridge.
• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkled with some pumpkin spice.

Notes

• To make the pumpkin puree at home, cut a small pumpkin into two. Smear with oil and put it face down on parchment paper. Bake for an hour at 160°C or till a knife can be easily inserted in the pumpkin. Scoop out the pumpkin flesh with a spoon when easy to handle. Discard the skin. Puree the cooked pumpkin and store in a jar till needed. See above for more recipe ideas.
• In case you cannot find an entire pumpkin, you can use pieces of pumpkin, preferably sin on. Just coat with oil, spread on a parchment paper on the baking tray, cover with another piece of parchment paper and proceed to bake as given in the procedure.
• Pumpkin Spice: If you want to make your own and enjoy the fresh aroma, just lightly toast, cool and then grind together 2″ cinnamon , small piece of dry ginger, 1 clove, 1/4 tsp garam masala and a pinch of salt. Store in an air tight bottle in the fridge. Discard when it loses it’s flavour.
• The sweetness of the pie can really be your choice. I add just 1/4 cup for 1 cup of pumpkin puree. You could taste it an add a little at a time, up to 1 cup of sugar for this recipe if you like your desserts to be really sweet. Just remember, too much sugar is harmful for us. Also, in case you feel you need extra sugar, you can always drizzle the whipped cream or the pie itself with something delicious like caramel sauce.