Best Pumpkin Pie From Meta Givens
Genius Recipes
Photo by Julia Gartland
- Serves
- 6
- Prep Time
- 4 Hours 15 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 Hour
Caramelizing the pumpkin purée means that this is a pie with guts, one that won't just sit there phoning in the pumpkin flavor, burying it under lots of spice. But its genius is much more than that. You don't have to blind bake the crust. You use real milk and cream instead of evaporated milk, with predictably better results. And because you blast it at 400 degrees the whole time, it bakes in 25 minutes—less than half the time of your average back-of-the-can recipe. From Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking, an underrated gem of a cookbook.
Ingredients
- Unbaked, unpricked, chilled 9-inch pie shell (we like lapadia's simple Himalayan Blackberry Pie crust, also on FOOD52)
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
Featured Video
Best Pumpkin Pie From Meta Givens
Baking the best pumpkin pie is actually pretty easy when you break it down. A simple but flavor-packed custard filling is coupled with a buttery and flaky crust (no soggy bottoms in sight!). It is no wonder pumpkin pie is an undisputed Thanksgiving classic.
It all starts with the filling, which couldn’t be easier if we tried. This recipe takes the standard “back of the can” recipe one step further by caramelizing the pumpkin purée on the stovetop. The pumpkin will slowly darken, dry out, and smell almost like you are making a pot of bubbling hot caramel. The end result is a pumpkin purée that is deeply concentrated in flavor. This means your pie will have a more pure pumpkin flavor that isn’t hindered by too many warm spices or granulated sugar. Speaking of which, this pie relies only on ground cinnamon and ground ginger to accompany the pumpkin flavor. While they pack a punch, these two spices are relatively mild compared to others like nutmeg and cloves, so the pie will not be too spice-heavy like some others you’ve tasted.
A good pie begins and ends with a well-baked crust. Blind baking achieves two things—it ensures that the weight of your custard filling will not prevent the crust from cooking all the way through, and it means you can cook the filling at a higher temperature in half the usual time. It is not a step you usually want to skip. Take that extra precaution—you can thank us later.
Directions
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line pie shell with parchment paper and fill to the top with pie weights or baking beans. Bake until edges are dry and firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove parchment and pie weights, then bake until bottom crust is completely dry and light golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. Set aside to cool. Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
- Step 2
Place pumpkin in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until somewhat dry and slightly caramelized (it will start to leave a film on the bottom edges of the pot), about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until combined.
- Step 3
Transfer pumpkin mixture to a bowl and add eggs, cream, and milk. Whisk until smooth.
- Step 4
Pour immediately into par-baked crust. Bake until pastry is golden brown and only an inch circle in the center of the filling remains liquid, 25 to 30 minutes (tent edges with foil if browning too quickly). Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving, at least 4 hours.