pumpkin pie

There are many traditional autumn products, but I love pumpkins. I'm fascinated by them. That's why this year I had to start the season with one of my favorite pies. Pumpkin pie , better known as " Pumpkin Pie ".

I'm sure you feel the same way, it's like when autumn arrives and we enter a wonderful cycle of well-being and happiness. I think that's the magic of this time of year. The wide range of colours that the trees leave us, the ideal temperature for long walks, the wonderful seasonal products that we can enjoy (I enjoy this to the fullest), the wonderful festivities that are celebrated during these days... But above all, the seasonal products. They drive me crazy.

This is not the first time I've made it at home, in fact it's a recipe I've made many times, but for some strange reason I never make the same one. I change the dough for the base, the ingredients for the filling... And I can assure you that the one I'm leaving you with today is the best pumpkin pie I've ever made in my life.

Not only for the flavour, but also for the textures. The base is slightly buttery, flaky and crunchy. The filling is very creamy, moist, delicately sweet, full of aromas of spices and with the ideal consistency to stay firm. If we serve it with a little whipped cream... Then I have no words to describe the sensation. I assure you.

Emile Henry wavy ceramic mould

Ingredients for 8 servings

For the base:

• 435 g of strong flour
• 245 g cold unsalted butter
• 40 g of Iberian pork fat
• 63 g of sugar
• 78 g of very cold water from the refrigerator
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the pumpkin filling:

• 575 g roasted pumpkin without seeds
• 50 g dark brown sugar
• 160 g of sugar
• 3 eggs M
• 465 g evaporated milk
• 1 generous teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp of powdered ginger
• 1/2 tsp all spices
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional)

Preparation

We prepare the dough for the cake:

1. We grate the cold butter and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour together with the grated butter, lard, sugar and salt. Mix with the help of a spatula until you obtain a sandy mixture. This will take just a few seconds. It is important not to overwork the dough to avoid developing gluten .
3. We pour in the very cold water and mix again for a few seconds. We will obtain a non-homogeneous paste.
4. We transfer the dough to a work surface and finish working it using the fraisage technique . This will help us obtain a homogeneous dough, but without developing gluten.
5. We place the “heel” of our hand on the dough and slowly slide the dough forward so that it amalgamates but without obtaining an elastic result. We will do this infrequently, just enough to amalgamate the mixture.
6. Once it is homogeneous, we divide the dough into two parts. One slightly larger than the other (this will be the one we use for the mould).
7. We will stretch the dough between two sheets of Teflon. We will give it a diameter greater than the mould.
8. If the dough has reached room temperature, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes so that it can be handled without breaking.
9. We place the dough on the Emile Henry ceramic mould and fit it to it without pressing the dough . We adjust it perfectly, but without applying pressure with our hands.
10. We roll a rolling pin around the edges to remove any excess dough so that it fits perfectly.
11. We refrigerate it while we prepare the filling. At this point, if we wish, we can refrigerate the mould with the dough until the next day.
12. The other portion of dough is rolled out between two sheets of Teflon, you can use an adjustable rolling pin to make it 3 mm thick, and refrigerated before cutting the sheets. The dough must be very firm to obtain clean cuts.

We prepare the pumpkin pie filling:

1. In the KitchenAid bowl, add the chopped roasted pumpkin along with the two types of sugar and the spices. Blend with the whisk at speed 1 until you obtain a smooth, creamy puree.
2. Add the eggs and mix again at speed 1 , mixing only until they are completely integrated.
3. Finally, we add the evaporated milk and mix again until homogenous.

We fill the mold and bake:

1. Pour the filling into the mould. To avoid foam/bubbles appearing on the surface, it is best to pour the mixture onto a spatula. If any foam or bubbles appear, you can remove them with a spoon.
2. I advise you not to fill the mould to the top outside the oven because it will be difficult to move the mould without the filling spilling out. You can pour the filling with the mould inside the oven or finish pouring it inside the oven itself.
3. We bake at medium height at 200ºC for 15 minutes .
4. After this time, reduce the temperature to 175ºC and bake for another 50-55 minutes . You will know that the cake is done because when you move the mould it will have a slight wobble, but you will be able to see that it is set.
5. We turn off the oven, leave the door half open and let it cool completely inside. This way we encourage gradual cooling and prevent cracks from forming on the surface.
6. We take them out and place them on a rack.
7. At this point we can consume it, once it has cooled, or refrigerate it until the next day.

We make and bake the leaves:

1. We take out the sheet of dough that we left stretched and refrigerated.
2. Using different leaf-shaped cutters, we cut the dough to create leaves of different sizes and shapes.
3. Once they are cut, we refrigerate for 20 minutes .
4. We take it out of the fridge and create relief on the surface. Using a knife, we draw textures on the leaves.
5. To prevent them from being all flat, we place balls of aluminum foil under some of them, this will give them movement.
6. We refrigerate for 20 minutes .
7. Preheat the oven to 175ºC with heat from above and below .
8. Lightly brush the leaves with beaten egg and bake at medium height for 14-15 minutes .
9. We take it out and let it cool completely on a rack.

We decorate the cake:

1. We arrange the leaves around the edge of the mold. We place them as we like.
2. Serve. Ideally, the cake should be accompanied with a little whipped cream. You can serve it on the side or pipe a dollop on the surface. I'll leave this to your taste.

Emile Henry Wavy Ceramic Mould and T&G Pastry Brush

Grades:

• The dough for the base can be mixed in the KitchenAid or by hand in a large bowl. Whichever is more comfortable and clean for you.
• Lard provides a slightly flaky texture that is very pleasant to the palate. If you want to omit it, you can replace it with butter, but I recommend using it. It doesn't add flavor, but it does give us an incredible texture.
• When placing the dough in the mould , do not press it down, but place and adjust it gently. Otherwise it will shrink after baking.
• The dough can be kept refrigerated , once placed in the mold and covered with film, until the next day.
• In my case I preferred to roast the pumpkin to make the puree, but if you prefer, you can boil it. We need 575 g of already baked pulp.
• To avoid foam/bubbles forming on the surface when pouring the filling, it is best to pour the mixture onto a spatula.
• The decoration is completely optional and you can adjust it to your tastes.
• It can be served with whipped cream, topped with Italian meringue or plain.
• It can be kept refrigerated for 4-5 days.

If you don't usually make pumpkin pie at home or have never tried it yet, I think this year is your year. I assure you that not only is it a very easy pie to make, but the result is a creation that is really worth the time and effort you put into it.

Emile Henry wavy ceramic mould