Tigger-Proof Pumpkin Pie

Every year for Thanksgiving we make a pumpkin pie, and usually we used a simple recipe with canned milk and spices. One year, though, we tried the pumpkin pie recipe from The Little Big Book of Pooh by Monique Peterson. My older brother gave it as a gift to my mom a few years ago.

This pie recipe features one of the more flavorful pumpkin pie fillings I've tasted. Instead of just granulated sugar, the brown sugar gives the pie a richer flavor as does the sweetened condensed milk in place of evaporated milk (you can't have a 100 Acre Woods recipe without sweetened condensed milk, can you?). This pie is also very spicy and doesn't lack in flavor. There's a crust recipe that accompanies the directions that I've never tried, but I'll include it anyway. Feel free to use whichever crust with which you're most familiar.

The filling can be prepared and refrigerated ahead of time to cut down on prep if desired.

Since I have issues with my pie crusts not completely cooking, I decided to par-bake the crust this year. To do this, I chilled the prepared crust for an hour, then lined with parchment and filled with dried beans (to keep the crust from collapsing). I then baked for 10 minutes at 425°; remove the parchment with the beans and cook for 5 more minutes until bottom is no longer wet. You will need to cover the edges of the crust earlier into the baking time if you do this.

I didn't let the crust cook before filling since it still had to be baked. Maybe the heat sealed the bottom layer and prevented the crust from getting soggy.

So, if you're looking for a pumpkin pie with a smooth, velvety texture that's rich with flavor, stop right here and get baking!

Recipe after jump.

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Tigger-Proof Pumpkin Pie
From The Little Big Book of Pooh

For crust:

1 1/3 cup flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons ice water

For pie:

1 1/2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.


2. To make crust, sift together dry ingredients. Using pastry blender or processor, cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle water over dough and mix with fork until pastry is moist enough to form into a ball.


3. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14" round circle. Transfer and press into 9" pie pan. Trim overhand and crimp edges. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes.


4. To make the pumpkin filling, whisk all the pie ingredients together in a large bowl until blended. Pour into the prepared crust.


5. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.


6. Serve with whipped cream!