I am not sure why this is called a pie. Strictly speaking, I would say this is a pumpkin tart because when I think of a pie, it has a filling inside. Be that as it may, this pumpkin ‘pie’ is sublimely delicious. I’ve used butternut squash for my pumpkin purée. I love the nutty flavour it has, it’s vibrant ornage colour and the firm texture of its flesh; it’s not watery like a lot of some pumpkins. You can of coursse use any pumpkin or squash you like or even used tinned if you prefer and are short of time. I’ve also flavoured the pastry with orange zest which has given the pie an extra flavour dimension which I think works really well. For sure, this pie is even more delicious when shared! If you happen to be making it for Thanksgiving, I hope you have a wonderful time and send you my very best wishes to you and yours.
How to make the pumpkin pie in step by step instructions
Make the pastry
Put the butter, caster sugar and orange zest into stand mixer bowl and briefly cream together.
With the stand mixing running add the egg in small inclusions to the creamed mixture, beating well between each addition.
Sieve flour & salt and pour it into the butter mixture in one go.
Once fully mixed, empty the dough onto a piece of cling film.
Flatten the dough into a disc approx. 2cm thick and wrap in the cling film. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Make the pumpkin purée
Clean the butternut squash and cut into cubes. Steam for 20-30ms until soft.
Blend in a blender until smooth and pass through a sieve if necessary to remove any lumps of squash.
Line the tart tin
Roll out the pastry. If it gets too soft, refrigerate for 5 mins before continuing.
Line the tin with the pastry allowing some pastry to overhang and dock lightly with a fork without piercing the pastry. Refrigerate for 15 mins.
Preheat the oven to 175C.
Use the offcuts of pastry to make shapes to decorate the tart or bake them off into delicious biscuits.
Blind bake the pastry
Line the pastry case with the double layer of commercial grade cling film or parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15-20 mins or until the pastry edges are lightly golden and the base is semi dry.
Remove beans and put the pastry case back in the oven to bake for another 5-10 mins or until the pastry is slightly golden on the base and completely dry.
Remove from the oven and baste lightly with egg wash returning to the oven for another minute or 2 for it to fully dry.
Remove again from the oven and gently trim the top of the pastry case with a small serrated knife (or similar) while it is still hot. Set aside. Turn the oven down to 150C.
Now make the filling
Put the pumpkin purée, flour, spice and sugar into a bowl and whisk until combined and no lumps are in the flour. Add the cream and eggs and whisk lightly on a low speed until just combined.
Bake the pie
Pour the filling into the pastry case until it is half full. Then put the tart in the oven and continue to fill the tart 2-3 mm from the top. This prevents spilling.
Bake the tart for approx. 45 mins until the edges of the filling can be seen to be set and starting to rise a little but the middle still has a wobble. If you have a digital thermometer, the filling should be about 75-78C.
Remove from the oven and leave to fully cool in the tin.
Demould the tart and place on a serving plate. Decorate with pastry shapes if required e.g. leaves.
Notes
- For the pumpkin purée, you can use tinned or you can make your own. I made my own with butternut squash because I find the flesh firmer and less watery than other pumpkins or squashes and it has a great nutty flavour.
- I made a big batch of purée – the effort of going into making it is worth doubling up and freezing what you don’t need or putting the remainder into soup perhaps. I have tried making the purée by steaming and by baking. I’ve described both below but I prefer the steaming option. I initially thought it would create too much moisture in the purée but it was absolutely fine.
- Steaming: I used 1.85kg butternut (uncleaned weight) which then weighed 1.1 kg once cleaned. I steamed it for about 20 mins. The cooked weight was approximately 820g. I puréed it in an upright blender.
- Baking: I used 2 x 1.4kg butternuts (uncleaned weight) which then weighed 1.7kg once cleaned. I baked them in the oven at 160C on lightly oiled baking trays for about 35 mins, giving them a mix half way through baking. Once cooked I blended it as per the method for steaming.
- You may also need to put the purée through a sieve if you only have a food processor because it doesn’t achieve as fine a finish as an upright blender.
- Refrigerate if not serving immediately.
- This tart will freeze. If freezing it whole, I would first freeze it uncovered and then once frozen, wrap in cling film or foil. When ready to use, remove from the freezer. Unwrap and place in a sealed container and leave in the fridge overnight to defrost slowly. You could also just leave the wrapping loosely around the pie if you don’t have a container. The idea is to create a mini atmosphere around the tart as it defrosts. This controls the temperature change; too great a change too quickly could cause the tart filling structure to break down and cause ‘weeping’.
Pumpkin pie
Equipment
- 22cm (9 inch) tart tin
Ingredients
Pastry
- 125 g butter softened
- 50 g caster sugar
- 50 g egg
- 200 g plain flour
- 2 g salt
- 1 orange zest
Filling
- 450 g pumpkin purée unsweetened (see notes section below)
- 15 g plain flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cloves
- 300 g whipping cream (35% fat)
- 120 g soft brown sugar
- 150 g egg
Pumpkin purée
- 1.1 kg butternut squash (or pumpkin or squash of your choice) cleaned weight
Instructions
- Clean the butternut squash and cut into 2-3 cm cubes.
- Steam for 20-30 minutes until soft
- Blend in a blender until a purée mixture is created. You may need to pass it through a sieve for a finer finish.
- Weigh out 450g and set aside.
- Put the butter, caster sugar and orange zest into stand mixer bowl (fitted with a paddle attachment) and briefly cream together for a couple of minutes. Or you can mix this by hand or with a hand beater.
- Weigh the eggs into a jug and whisk.
- With the stand mixing running add the egg in small inclusions to the creamed mixture, beating well between each addition so it is fully combined before adding the next amount.
- Scrape down sides of bowl and whisk again until fully combined.
- Sieve flour & salt and pour it into the butter mixture in one go.
- On a slow speed, incorporate flour working dough into a ball.
- Once fully mixed, empty the dough onto a piece of cling film.
- Flatten the dough into a disc approx. 2cm thick and wrap in the cling film. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This is to rest the dough but also to firm it up enough to roll it out otherwise it will be too soft.
- Lightly grease the tart tin if it isn’t non-stick.
- After cooling the pastry, remove from the fridge and gently knead if necessary to make it pliable and easier to roll out.
- Roll out the pastry and if it gets too soft, refrigerate for 5 mins before continuing.
- Line the tin with the pastry allowing some pastry to overhang and dock lightly with a fork without piercing the pastry. Refrigerate for 15 mins.
- Preheat the oven to 175C.
- Use the offcuts of pastry to make shapes to decorate the tart or bake them off into delicious biscuits.
- Remove the lined pastry tin from the fridge.
- Line the pastry case with either a double layer of commercial grade cling film or parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15-20 mins or until the pastry edges are lightly golden and the base is semi dry.
- Remove beans and put the pastry case back in the oven to bake for another 5-10 mins or until the pastry is slightly golden on the base and completely dry.
- Remove from the oven and baste lightly with egg wash returning to the oven for another minute or 2 for it to fully dry.
- Remove again from the oven and gently trim the top of the pastry case while it is still hot. Set aside. Turn the oven down to 150C.
- Put the pumpkin purée, flour, spice and sugar into a bowl and whisk until combined and no lumps are in the flour.
- Add the cream and eggs and whisk lightly on a low speed until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the mixture is incorporated. You don’t want to whisk on a high speed because this incorporates a lot of air and it will cause your tart to bubble in baking and you won’t have a nice smooth top.
- Pour the filling into the pastry case until it is half full. Then put the tart in the oven and continue to fill the tart 2-3 mm from the top. This prevents spilling.
- Bake the tart for approx. 45 mins until the edges of the filling can be seen to be set and starting to rise a little but the middle still has a wobble. If you have a digital thermometer, the filling should be about 75-78C.
- Remove from the oven and leave to fully cool in the tin.
- Demould the tart and place on a serving plate. Decorate with pastry shapes if required e.g. leaves.
Notes
- For the pumpkin purée, you can use tinned or you can make your own. I made my own with butternut squash because I find the flesh firmer and less watery than other pumpkins or squashes and it has a great nutty flavour.
- I made a big batch of purée – the effort of going into making it is worth doubling up and freezing what you don’t need or putting the remainder into soup perhaps. I have tried making the purée by steaming and by baking. I’ve described both below but I prefer the steaming option. I initially thought it would create too much moisture in the purée but it was absolutely fine.
- Steaming: I used 1.85kg butternut (uncleaned weight) which then weighed 1.1 kg once cleaned. I steamed it for about 20 mins. The cooked weight was approximately 820g. I puréed it in an upright blender.
- Baking: I used 2 x 1.4kg butternuts (uncleaned weight) which then weighed 1.7kg once cleaned. I baked them in the oven at 160C on lightly oiled baking trays for about 35 mins, giving them a mix half way through baking. Once cooked I blended it as per the method for steaming.
- You may also need to put the purée through a sieve if you only have a food processor because it doesn’t achieve as fine a finish as an upright blender.
- Refrigerate if not serving immediately.
- This tart will freeze. If freezing it whole, I would first freeze it uncovered and then once frozen, wrap in cling film or foil. When ready to use, remove from the freezer. Unwrap and place in a sealed container and leave in the fridge overnight to defrost slowly. You could also just leave the wrapping loosely around the pie if you don’t have a container. The idea is to create a mini atmosphere around the tart as it defrosts. This controls the temperature change; too great a change too quickly could cause the tart filling structure to break down and cause ‘weeping’.
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