Pumpkin pie recipe -wanted yesterday

davewarne · #1 09-30-2002, 01:17 PM

Hi,

I've left this far too late. I'm looking for a recipe that is actually edible. I've a number on friends on the airbase near here and they all say pumpkin pie is just an excuse to eat lots of whipped cream. I tried it in the past and been disappointed. Any favourite recipe to help me our. Please

Thanks

Dave

foodnfoto · #2 09-30-2002, 03:45 PM

Believe it or not, one of the best pumpkin pie recipes I've ever had is on the label of a can of Libby's solid pack pumpkin. The only change I make is to prebake my pie shell (weighted of course) for about 20 minutes before filling with the custard. It's very easy-just stir together and bake. Also, make sure to use fresh spices.
Do not use the premade canned pumpkin pie filling, however--it tastes like the can.

m brown · #3 09-30-2002, 04:43 PM

1# pumpkin puree (canned)
4 oz whole eggs
8 oz cream
1 t ginger
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t mace
pinch salt
1 tbl molasses
1 cup sugar

boil the cream with spices and pour over the egg, sugars and pumpkin mix.
pour into your unbaked pie shells and bake at 350 f.

nancya · #4 09-30-2002, 08:45 PM

I agree foodnfoto...it's the one thing I think using fresh for just doesn't work...

My mom cooks her own pumpkin. The texture is off and it tastes weird. Love the Libby's!

Cooking my own pumpkin can't be beat for pumpkin bread, however!

alexia · #5 10-01-2002, 07:56 AM

[quote]Originally posted by nancya
"My mom cooks her own pumpkin. The texture is off and it tastes weird. Love the Libby's!"

My DIL made some pumpkin pies using roasted pumpkin with great results. Do you think the way the pumpkin's cooked might be the difference? Or perhaps the kind of pumpkin? Have you ever used squash for your pumpkin pie?

The last pumpkin pie I made, I rushed out and bought some ready to pop into the shell thing in a glass jar at Fresh Fields. To my surprise it was quite good. A shell in the freezer and one of these on the shelf is a good provision against unexpected company!

Leethequeen · #6 10-03-2002, 11:00 AM

The best pumpkin pie I have made is from Julia Childs The Way to Cook. Its light, can stand on its own or with whipped cream. Every time I have made it people raved.

Svadhisthana · #7 10-03-2002, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Leethequeen
The best pumpkin pie I have made is from Julia Childs The Way to Cook. Its light, can stand on its own or with whipped cream. Every time I have made it people raved.

Just noting that the Julia recipe is more of a soufle type filling, not as dense as the libby's recipe (DH's favorite).

foodnfoto · #8 10-03-2002, 10:25 PM

The problem most people have with making pumpkin pie from fresh pumpkin is that they usually use jack o'lantern pumpkins. These are beautiful on the outside but have virtually flavorless and watery pulp. What you need to use is pie pumpkins, also known as cheese pumpkins. They have a pinkish skin and deep orange flesh. Roast until softened, then scoop out the pulp and simmer over low heat for about 1 1/2-2 hours (stir often to avoid scorching), then puree. Pie pumpkins and cheese pumpkins have a sweet and silky pulp, perfect for pie, souffles and all kinds of other pumpkin dishes.
Check out October's "Country Living" magazine. There should be some cool recipes there.

angrychef · #9 10-05-2002, 06:07 PM

Baked or unbaked shell? I notice most recipes say to pour filling into unbaked shell, but the filling(which is a custard) always cooks first leaving the bottom of the pie doughy. I always pre-bake my pie shells(which is tough when making 50 at a time), and was wondering if others do so.

momoreg · #10 10-05-2002, 06:24 PM

I always pre-bake the shell.

I have used the Libby's recipe. Not bad, but a splash of rum helps it along.

Mezzaluna · #11 10-05-2002, 07:18 PM

OOh, Momo, I have added more spice- but now I'll try the rum! I, too, like the Libby's recipe, probably because I grew up with it.

momoreg · #12 10-06-2002, 06:09 AM

I guess you could call it 'rumpkin' pie.

Dominique · #13 10-06-2002, 06:23 AM

I agree that Libby's is a good recipe. I've got a couple that I like, but the thing that seems to give any of them that 'extra kick' is replacing the dairy (cream or evaporated milk) with eggnog. My family tells me they LOVE my Christmas pumpkin pie compared to my Thanksgiving pie and that's the only thing I change.

I like to use fresh pumpkin too, rather than canned, but it definitely IS a different texture. (I steam it, then process the heck out of it). Most people don't like it though, it's not what they were 'brought up on'. LOL.. Using maybe half fresh and half canned would be good??

davewarne · #14 10-07-2002, 02:50 PM

Thanks for all the help.

After a search on the net I settled on The Brown Family Pumpkin Pie on the www.allrecipes.com website. It's a bit different to previous recipes I've tried. For a start it uses condensed milk for the milky/cream bit and the yolks are beaten in separately, the whites being whisked and folded in. The pie is finished with a walnut crumble topping. The people seemed to like it, they ate it all!

I always part-bake the pastry case before filling. But bake a bit too much and it can crack and send the filling swimming around the oven.

Thanks again

Dave

davewarne · #15 10-07-2002, 02:57 PM

Don't seem to be able to find canned pumpkin here. Libbys or anyones. Used organic pumpkins from a guy who teaches something on the airbase and grows them. They are, I think, the Jack'o'Lantern variety and I cooked/steamed the flesh in the microwave. This technique seems to work well on things like this, rhubarb, apples, etc. The pumpkin farmer is all or part American Indian ( my guess ) and he has given us squash, and various corn, including one he says is Indian corn. It's a bit multi-coloured and irregular and hard. I'll ask about other pumpkins.

Dave