Pumpkin pie recipe please

[jackal10]

I'm suckered into providing desert for a Thanksgiving dinner. It has to be Pumkin pie.

There is no recipe in the recipes section (only a cocktail, which is not the same), or doing a search

Tricks (other than use tinned pumpkin), hints and tips? Special spice mixtures?

Who has the best pumpkin pie recipe?

One year I left out the pumpkin, heresy I know, but it seemed an improvement.

[Dave the Cook]

OK, I had a long post full of all the stuff I've tried, but it's useless. Canners get the best of the pumpkins, and grow special varieties that consumers can't get.

Just use the recipe on the back of the Libby's can. Traditionalists love it, because it's the one they grew up on. And for Thanksgiving, that's not such a bad thing.

[jackal10]

Dave, I'd love to see your long reply...

Tinned pumpkin is practically unobtainable over here "No demand for it, Sir"

[JFLinLA]

I personally love the recipe in Julia Child's The Way to Cook.

Jack -- PM me and I'll send you a can of pumpkin . . . or more if you like. That's the least I can do in exchange for the sourdough starter.

[Dave the Cook]

I personally love the recipe in Julia Child's The Way to Cook.

Jack -- PM me and I'll send you a can of pumpkin . . . or more if you like. That's the least I can do in exchange for the sourdough starter.

I was going to offer the same thing instead of reconstructing my "all the futile ways to attempt improvement of Libbys recipe for pumpkin pie" post.

Sources tell me it's available at Waitrose. Is that any help?

[Ling]

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Gingersnap crust

http://food.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=10807

(I always double the cookie crumb/nut crust because that's my favorite part.)

This has been in my recipe box for ages, but I haven't tried it yet. Looks good though!

Pumpkin-pecan pie with whiskey butter sauce

http://food.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=104141

[jackal10]

Mnay thanks, but please don't send tins of pumpkin. It won't get here in time.

Its available fresh, and I have some in the garden, so I'll puree a chunk, or leave it out - the filling is basically a spiced custard.

The local Waitrose should indeed have tins of pumpkin, but doesn't, and besides its the other side of town (although they do deliver)

The Libby's recipe calls for evaporated milk. Will cream plus some sugar substitute, or is it essential?

It reminds me a bit of a traditional Norfolk treacle tart - the sort without the breadcrumbs

Edited November 10, 2003 by jackal10 (log)

[Dave the Cook]

The pumpkin does add some flavor, but it's deceptively mild. I've seen a number of people take a piece of sweet potato pie thinking it's pumpkin, and never notice the difference.

Yes, you can puree fresh pumpkin (just in case you didn't decide a second ago to substitute sweet potato pie), but it won't taste the same as good-quality canned pumpkin, unless you're growing one of the varieties of sugar pumpkin. I'm sure that processors blend different varieties and carefully control specific gravity in the interest of product consistency, much like orange juice producers.

Evaporated milk is not sweetened. It's simply fat-free milk that's been reduced by 50%, something you can easily do yourself. (The sugary stuff is called "sweetened condensed milk.")

[Sandra Levine]

This one is the best.

[JFLinLA]

Mnay thanks, but please don't send tins of pumpkin. It won't get here in time.

Okay. Next year ask earlier when there's time to send it. (I once decided to start from fresh pumpkin and decided it wasn't worth the effort. However, I have easy access to canned.)

Please take a look at the Julia Child recipe I mentioned. I think it should satisfy your need for something more gourmet as well as keep the traditionalists happy.

Edited November 10, 2003 by JFLinLA (log)

[elyse]

You know, if you can't get tinned pumpkin, and can't find sugar or Jack-be-nimble pumpkins (I think that's what they're called), think about using the sweet potatoes. They're pretty similar, and darned tasty.

[nightscotsman]

Another excellent substitute for pumpkin - with exactly the same texture as pumpkin, unlike sweet potatoes - is butternut or acorn squash. Cut in two, bake until soft, scoop out, puree. Much more flavorful than common jack-o-lantern type pumpkins and most likely available everywhere. cheap, too.