Neil and I were surfing around the other night and stopped on the show America's Test Kitchen, where they were doing Thanksgiving. Now, I had been lamenting all week about the lack of Thanksgiving related media/tv/movies, so we watched. The two folks, who as a rule I really enjoy just would not shut up about this pumpkin pie. So, brave or foolish Kyle set his mind on it
Crust
* 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)
* 1/2 teaspoon table salt
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch slices
* 1/4 cup vegetable shortening , cold, cut into two pieces
* 2 tablespoons vodka , cold (see note)
* 2 tablespoons cold water
Filling
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 cup whole milk
* 3 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
* 1 cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can (see note)
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup maple syrup
* 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon table salt
Instructions
* 1. For the Crust: Process 3/4 cup flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds; dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.
* 2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
* 3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
* 4. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Using thumb and forefinger, flute edge of dough. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.
* 5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake on rimmed baking sheet 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake 5 to 10 additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove pie plate and baking sheet from oven.
* 6. For the Filling: While pie shell is baking, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.
* 7. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, using back of ladle or spatula to press solids through strainer. Rewhisk mixture and transfer to warm prebaked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until edges of pie are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175 degrees), 20 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.
Let's start off with
I AM NOT A BAKER.
so , step one of making these pies:
2oz Absolut Mandarin
1oz lime juice
1oz cranberry juice,
shake until very cold and frothy
repeat as needed
Here is everything you need, and its mostly things that you have around, not being the baker, I did have to buy some unbleached flower and regular table salt.
This may be the very first pie crust that I have ever made, I got my mise en place all ready. I needed to make two pies, but was afraid to just double everything, so I just did it twice. Dump everything into the food processor for just a few seconds...
It does not form a ball of anything, just sort of breaks down in the fat.. you mix it, bring it to a ball/disc in the bowl with the water and vodka! ( who knew!!! ) I forgot to take a photo of the raw dough, but its very flaked with butter
One of the dough balls rolled out really easy, one did not...( a coming theme )
Blind baked, with PENNIES! something else I learned tonight, pennies , not beans
Again, sort of dump and go, all the wet, just like the recipe says... of the two the one in the larger pan did much better, more room to reduce or something...
you mix the custard with the the cooked pumpkin, and bake
One set up very nicely, one , all these hours later is still sort of puddingy in the middle, I will let yall know how they taste!
