Paula Deen's Pumpkin Pie

By rsberkenbile

Ingredients

• 1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 2 c. canned pumpkin, mashed
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg plus 2 yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 c. half-and-half
• 1/2 stick (1/4 c.) melted butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger (optional)
• 1 pie crust, unbaked
• Whipped cream, for topping

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie crust in 9" pie pan and press down along bottom and sides. Pinch and crimp the edges to make a pretty pattern. Put shell in freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Remove from freezer, and fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell. Fill the shell with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 lbs.) and bake 10 minutes. Remove the crust from oven and take out weights and foil. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes, or until the crust is dry and beginning to color. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add eggs and yolks, half-and-half, and butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated. Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.