Pumpkin Pie with Short Pastry Crust
Submitted by burningthepunk
Pumpkin pie sweetened with honey and molasses, lightened with whipped cream folded into the custard, in a buttery short pastry crust. A holiday classic with a silkier-than-usual filling.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
85 minCOOK
50 minREADY
140 minThis pumpkin pie sits in the holiday pantheon, but with two changes that elevate the standard version. The sweetener is honey and molasses rather than refined sugar, lending a deeper, almost caramelized backbone to the pumpkin and spice. And the filling gets a fold of fresh whipped cream before baking, which lightens the custard into something silkier and less dense.
The crust is a classic short pastry, with butter for flavor and shortening for flakiness. The two-fat combination is a baker’s trick. Butter alone tastes great but goes tough, while shortening alone stays flaky but tastes flat. Together they hit both marks. Chill the dough at least an hour so the fats firm back up before rolling, or the crust shrinks in the oven.
The high-then-low oven temperature is intentional. The first 10 minutes at 450F (230C) sets the crust quickly so it does not soak up the custard, then the heat drops to 350F (175C) so the egg-rich filling cooks gently without curdling.
Chef Tips
- Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
- Fold the whipped cream in gently with a spatula. Stirring deflates it and you lose the lightness.
- A toothpick test in the very center should come out clean. The filling firms further as it cools.
- Cool completely before slicing. Warm pumpkin custard tears, while chilled custard slices clean.
- Top with a ring of cranberries for a festive Thanksgiving finish.
Variations
- Add a tablespoon of bourbon or dark rum to the filling for an adult holiday spin.
- Swap honey for maple syrup for a darker, woodsier sweetness.
- Top with chopped candied pecans for crunch in every slice.
Ingredients
Directions
SHORT PASTRY CRUST: Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl.
With 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut in the butter and shortening until mixture is the texture of coarse crumbs.
Add only enough water to make a soft dough.
Form into a ball, wrap in wax paper and chill for at least 1 hour.
PIE: Roll the crust dough on a lightly floured surface to a ⅛ inch thickness and place in the bottom of a 10 inch pie pan.
Trim and flute the edges.
Preheat the oven to 450℉ (230℃).
Combine the pumpkin, honey, molasses and spices in a food processor and process until well blended.
With the processor on, add eggs one at a time, processing a few seconds after each addition.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Beat the cream in a large bowl until doubled in volume.
Fold into the pumpkin mixture.
Pour into prepared pie shell and bake 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 350℉ (180℃) F and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes longer.
Arrange cranberries in a circle on top of pie if desired.
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