Pumpkin Spiced Pie (Makes 1 large pie)

Ingredients for pie crust:

1 1/3 cups (175 grams) – All-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams)-  Salt
1 tablespoon (15 grams) – Granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) -Cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks
3 to 4 tablespoons – Icy cold water

Method:
• In your food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 10 seconds). Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of water over the flour mixture and process just until the dough holds together when pinched. (You don’t want a solid ball of dough.) If necessary, add more water.

• Turn your dough onto your work surface, gather it into a ball, and flatten into a round. Cover with plastic wrap and r refrigerate for about one hour or until firm. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

• After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove from the fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the centre of the pastry outwards).) Loosely roll the pastry around your rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch (23 cm) pie pan. Tuck the overhanging pastry under itself and use a fork, or your fingers, to make a decorative border. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill.

• Alternatively, you can trim the pastry to the edge of the pie pan. With the remaining pastry you can make decorative cut-outs (leaves, pumpkins, etc.). Bake in 375-degree F (190 degree C) oven until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Use to decorate the baked pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin Filling Ingredients:

3 large (150 grams) – Eggs at room temperature
1 – 15 ounce can (425 grams) – pure pumpkin puree (no spices added)
1/2 cup (120 ml/grams) – Heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) – Light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon- Ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon – Ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon – Ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon – Freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) – Salt

Method:

• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a baking sheet on the rack while preheating the oven.

• In a large bowl lightly whisk the eggs.

• Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

• Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell.

• Set the pie on the baking sheet and bake for about 40 – 50 minutes or until the crust has browned and the filling is set around the edges, but the centre of the pie will still look wet. (A knife inserted into the filling about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the side of the pan will come out almost clean.)

• Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool.

• Serve at room temperature with whipped cream.