Description
A creamy pumpkin pudding pie with Cajun sweet dough crust.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups (307 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
- 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup (135 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (39 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or sour cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 4 cubes
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- First let’s make the crust. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add flour, sugar baking powder and salt. Pulse to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse 12-20 times to create a coarse meal. Some butter pieces will be the size of oat flakes, others the size of peas. Transfer the flour mixture to a medium bowl and allow to chill in the refrigerator.
- In a small measuring cup whisk together egg and yolk, milk and almond extract.
- Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and add the wet ingredients to the dry. Toss together to combine. You may want to dump the dough onto a clean counter to knead together into a relatively smooth disk. Don’t worry if you work the butter in a bit. That’s ok.
- Place the dough between two pieces of floured parchment paper (or parchment paper and a Silpat, or two pieces of plastic wrap). Roll the dough out evenly, turning the dough over frequently and lifting and smoothing the paper or plastic so it doesn’t create any creases. You can dust a bit more flour too if you’d like. The circle should be 12-14 inches in diameter and about 1/4-inch thick. Slide the dough (still between the paper or plastic) onto a baking sheet or cutting board and refrigerate for about 1 hour. The dough cal also be refrigerated overnight or well-wrapped and frozen.
- Make the filling while the dough chills. In a medium saucepan (not over heat just on the countertop) whisk together brown sugar, flour, and salt. Don’t skip this step, you don’t want your flour to clump while making a custard. Whisk in the eggs until well combined. Whisk in the pumpkin. Whisk in all of the spices. The mixture will be thick and smell delicious.
- Stream in the milk and cream (or sour cream) and whisk to smooth. Place over medium-low heat and, whisking frequently (using both a whisk and rubber spatula to scrape the sides) cook the mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes. Pay close attention as to not cook the eggs. You’ll know the mixture is thickened properly because it will be the consistency of a loose, warm pudding or a thick cream of tomato soup. Remove from heat and stir in the butter chunks 2 at a time until melted and incorporated. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap (so the plastic touches the pudding). Set aside.
- When the dough is thoroughly chilled, place the dough on the counter and let it rest for about 10 minutes or until it’s pliable enough to bend without breaking. Remove one piece of paper or plastic from the dough. Invert it onto the tart pan and remove the second piece of paper or plastic. Gently press the dough into the edges of the pan. It’s ok if the dough tears a bit, just press and tears back together. Allow the excess dough to rest over the sides. Run a rolling pin across the top of the pan to cut the excess dough off of the tart.
- To create a scalloped edge, use a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter (really you can use any small shape you have) and cut circles from the excess dough. I needed about 22 circles to rim my tart.
- Pour the filling into the tart crust.
- Place each circle so that it creates a half circle going into the pie filling and press into the tart pan with your fingers to cut the other half circle from the tart. Continue around the pan.
- Carefully place pan on a parchment lined baking sheet (the kind that won’t warp in the oven) and refrigerate while you preheat the oven.
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Carefully place the sheet pan with pie in the oven and allow to bake for 35-40 minutes until the pie is set.
- Allow pie to cool to room temperature before serving. I like this pie best cooled to room temperature then chilled overnight. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
• I prefer a 10-inch removable bottom tart pan for this recipe though a standard 9-inch pie dish also works well!