Pumpkin pie

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

I’m sure it’s the same for you: as soon as autumn arrives, I slip into a wonderful cycle of well-being and happiness. I think it’s the magic of this time of year. The wide array of colors the trees give us, the ideal temperature for long walks, the wonderful seasonal produce we get to enjoy (I make the most of this), the fantastic festivities celebrated these days... But above all, the seasonal produce. I’m crazy about it.

It’s 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 it the same way. I keep switching up the crust and the filling ingredients... And I can assure you that the one I’m sharing today is the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever made in my life.

Not just the flavor, but the textures, too. The base is slightly buttery, flaky, and crisp. The filling is very gooey, moist, delicately sweet, packed with the aromas of spices, with the ideal consistency to hold its shape. If we serve it with a bit of whipped cream... Then I have no words left to describe the sensation. I assure you.

Emile Henry Wavy Ceramic Mold

Ingredients for 8 servings

For the base:

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

For the pumpkin filling:

• 575 g roasted pumpkin without the seeds
• 50 g of dark muscovado sugar
• 160 g of sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 465 g of evaporated milk
• 1 tsp, heaping, of ground cinnamon
• 1 cp of ground ginger
• 1/2 cp of all spices
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional)

Preparation

We prepare the dough for the tart:

1. We grate the cold butter, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour along with the grated butter, lard, sugar, and salt, and mix with the paddle until a sandy mixture forms. It will take just a few seconds, It's 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 get a non-homogeneous paste.
4. We transfer the dough to a work surface and finish working it by doing the technique of the milling. It will help us obtain a homogeneous dough, but without developing the gluten.
5. We rest the “heel” of the hand on the dough and gently slide the dough forward little by little so it comes together without becoming elastic. We’ll do this only a few times, just enough to bring the mixture together.
6. Once it is homogeneous, divide the dough into two parts. Make one slightly larger than the other (that will be the one we use for the mold).
7. We will roll out the dough between two Teflon sheets. We will make it a diameter larger than the pan.
8. If the dough has reached room temperature, we refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to be able to handle it without it breaking.
9. We place the dough on the Emile Henry ceramic mold and we attach to this without pressing the dough. We adjust it perfectly, but without applying pressure with our hands.
10. We run a rolling pin around the edges so we can trim the excess dough, ensuring a perfectly snug fit.
11. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling. At this point, if desired, you can refrigerate the pan with the dough until the next day.
12. We roll out the other portion of dough between two Teflon sheets, we can use an adjustable rolling pin to achieve a thickness of 3 mm, and chill it before cutting the sheets. The dough should be very firm to get clean cuts.

Prepare the pumpkin pie filling:

1. In the KitchenAid bowl we add the roasted pumpkin, chopped, along with the two types of sugar and the spices. We mix with the whisk at speed 1 until you get a smooth and creamy puree.
2. We add the eggs and mix again at speed 1, we will do it only until these are fully integrated.
3. Finally, add the evaporated milk and mix again until homogeneous.

We fill the pan and bake:

1. Pour the filling into the mold. To prevent foam/bubbles from forming on the surface, it's best to pour the mixture over a spatula. If any appear, you can remove them with a spoon.
2. I recommend not filling the pan to the top while it’s outside the oven because it will be very hard to move the pan without the filling spilling. You can pour the filling with the pan inside the oven or finish pouring it right in the oven.
3. We bake on the middle rack at 200ºC for 15 minutes.
4. After this time, we reduce to 175ºC and bake for another 50-55 minutes. You'll know the cake is done because when you move the pan it will have a gentle wobble, but you'll see that it's set.
5. Turn off the oven, leave the door halfway open, and let it cool completely inside. This promotes gradual cooling and prevents cracks from forming on the surface.
6. Remove and place 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 sheets:

1. We take out the griddle of dough that we left rolled out and refrigerated.
2. With the help of various leaf-shaped cutters, we cut the dough to create leaves of different sizes and shapes.
3. Once they’re cut, refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. Take it out of the fridge and create texture on the surface. Using a knife, draw textures on the sheets.
5. So they don’t all look flat, we place balls of aluminum foil under some of them; this will give them movement.
6. We refrigerate for 20 minutes.
7. We preheat the oven to 175ºC with top and bottom heat.
8. Lightly brush the sheets with beaten egg and bake on the middle rack for 14-15 minutes.
9. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Decorate the cake:

1. Arrange the leaves around the edge of the mold. Place them as you like.
2. Serve. Ideally, accompany the cake with a little whipped cream; you can serve it on the side or pipe a rosette on top. I’ll leave that to your preference.

Emile Henry ruffled ceramic mold and T&G pastry brush

Notes:

• We can mix the base dough in the KitchenAid or by hand inside a large bowl. Whatever is most comfortable and clean for you.
• Lard it adds a slightly flaky texture that’s very pleasant on the palate. If you want to omit it, you can substitute butter, but I recommend using it. It doesn’t add flavor, but it does give us an incredible texture.
• When you place the dough in the mold, do not press it, place it and adjust it gently. Otherwise it will shrink after baking.
• The dough can be kept refrigerated, once placed in the mold and covered with plastic wrap, until the next day.
• In my case, I preferred to roast the pumpkin to make the purée, but if you prefer, you can boil it. We need 575 g of flesh that's already been baked.
• To prevent foam/bubbles from forming on the surface when pouring the filling, it’s best to pour the mixture over a spatula.
• The decor is completely optional, and you can adjust it to your preferences.
• 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 do pumpkin pie at home or you still haven’t dared to try it, I think this year is your year. I assure you that not only is it a very easy cake to make, but also the result is a creation that truly deserves the time and effort you put into it.

Emile Henry fluted ceramic mold