"Gramma's" Pumpkin Pie
What is Thanksgiving without my Gramma's pumpkin pie?! I'll tell you what it is...it's Sonny without Cher, it's Kenny without Dolly...it's oreos without milk!! I could go on here if I need to but I think you get my drift.
I always remember having this wonderful pie on the holidays and I consider this to be one of my most cherished recipes in my collection.
For this autumn treasure, you will need 2 unbaked, 9" pie shells (do not prick the unbaked shells with a fork as you would when you bake them "blind" for cream pies etc.), brown sugar, whole milk, full fat evaporated milk (such as "Carnation"), 4 eggs, a can of pure pumpkin (not pie filling...I use "E.D. Smith"...it is pure pumpkin, whereas "Stokely" is a mixture of pumpkin and squash, which is still good, a slight flavour difference and is more orange in colour...but good!) You will also need salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and ground cloves.
This is the stuff right here..."canned gold"...or you can use homemade pumpkin puree.
First, combine the two milks in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl, using hand beaters..add 1 2/3 cups of full fat "Carnation" milk (370ml. can), and 3/4 cup of whole milk (or 2% is fine too)
Add 4 eggs, beating well after each addition.
Next, crack open that can of pure pumpkin and dump it all in (796ml. can)
Add 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar and mix togther until all is incorporated.
Next, you will need 1 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of ginger, 1 tsp. of nutmeg, 2 tsps. of cinnamon
...and a 1/2 tsp. of ground cloves.
Mix it all together really well...
...scraping the bowl, ensuring all of the spices are thoroughly mixed in.
Pour the mixture evenly into the unbaked pie shells and bake in a preheated, 400 degree oven for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 325 degrees for about 35 more minutes...* Important*...if using disposable tin pie plates, place them on a cookie sheet to put into the oven...if not, the bottom crust will be raw...ask me how I know this!
If you find the crust is getting too browned before the filling has set, you can make a foil "shield" to put over your pies...Take a square piece of tin foil and using a pencil, trace around a pie plate.
...fold it in half and cut around the traced circle.
Unfold and there you have it, an easy foil pastry crust shield!
Place foil over top of pies if the crust is getting too brown...on another note, I really need to clean my oven!
Remove pies from the oven (and place on wire cooling racks) when the edges are set and an area, the size of an orange in the middle is still slightly jiggly (is that a word?!...I hope so, cause I use it all the time to describe my "Lunch Lady" arms!) The pies will "set up" as they cool and may have cracks on them...but I say, that's just more surface area to hide whipped cream!
When pies are completely cool, cut into wedges and serve with sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg if you want to be a real showboat!
Pies can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge...anything to avoid the major "Thanksgiving Day" meltdown where you find yourself screaming "do I have to do EVERYTHING around here??!!" as the guests are arriving...or is that just at my house?!
"Gramma's" Pumpkin Pie
2 unbaked, 9" pie shells
1 can (796 ml.) of pure packed pumpkin (or use 4 cups of homemade pumpkin puree)
1 2/3 cup of full fat "Carnation" evaporated milk (370 ml. can)
3/4 cup of whole milk (or 2%)
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsps. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. of ground cloves
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the two milks...then, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Next, spoon in the pumpkin and add the brown sugar, mixing until all is incorporated.
3. Add the salt, spices and blend until all is thoroughly mixed together.
4. Pour evenly into unbaked pies shells and put into your preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes...reduce heat to 325 degrees for an additional 35 minutes or until the edges are set and an area in the middle (the size of an orange) is slightly jiggly.
5. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks...Cool completely and serve with sweetened whipped cream...Enjoy!
* makes two 9" pies.
* if you don't have Carnation milk, just use whole milk in it's place.
* Recipe can easily be halved to make one 9" pie.