CLASSIC PUMPKIN PIE WITH PECAN STREUSEL

By jarren

Ingredients

• For the Dough:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached flour; more for rolling
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• For the Filling:
• 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree (1 3/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup ;packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch table salt
• 1 1/3 cups half-and-half
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• For the Streusel:
• 3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• Whipped cream, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Make the Dough:

Cut the butter into 6 pieces and put in the freezer. Measure out 3 tbsp cold water.

Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two butter knives, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are just larger than peas. You can also do this in a food processor using short pulses. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl before proceeding.

Drizzle the cold water over the mixture, and using the fingertips of one hand, pinch and squeeze the mixture while tossing with a silicone spatula in the other hand until it beings to form shaggy clumps.

Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface. Using the heel of your hand, gently smear the dough away from you in sections. Using a bench scraper, gather and fold the crumbs on top of each other and turn the pile 180 degrees. Repeat the smearing action, gathering and turning the dough several times until the crumbs just hold together. Shape the dough into a 5" disk, smoothing the edges. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Roll the Dough:

If the dough was frozen,thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Let the dough sit at room temperature until it is pliable enough to roll, 10 to 20 minutes.

Put a large piece of parchment paper on a work surface, lightly flour it and put the dough in the center. Lightly flour the dough and cover with another piece of parchment. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough from the center to the edges into a 13 1/2" circle that is about 1/8" thick. After every few passes, rotate the parchment a quarter turn and lift the dough and stretch out the parchment underneath; it tends to bunch a little. Re-flour the parchment lightly only as needed; excess flour can make the crust tough.

Peel away the top piece of parchment. Gently press the dough around the rolling pin, position the pin over a 9" glass pie plate and unroll, easing the dough into the plate. Gently press the dough into the sides and bottom of the plate without stretching it, allowing the excess dough to hang over the edges. Trim the excess dough to a 3/4" overhang. Roll the overhang under itself to shape a high edge crust that rests on the rim of the pie plate. Crimp the dough into a fluted edge. Cover and refrigerate the crust while the oven heats (or freeze up to 1 month).

Blind-bake the Crust:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375F. Line the crust with foil or parchment, and then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Bake until the crust is pale golden and looks dry, 5 to 8 minutes more. Let cool on a rack while you make the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 325F.

Make the Filling:

Whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Whisk in the half-and-half and vanilla. Egg the eggs and whisk until just blended. Pour the filling into the baked crust (It is OK if the crust is still warm).

Make the Streusel:

Place all ingredients in a bowl and blend together using fingers.

Bake until the center of the filling is almost firm, about 30 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the pecan streusel over the top, covering the pie completely. Return the pie to the oven and bake until the filling is just a bit wobbly in the middle and the pecan streusel is golden, 10 to 15 minutes. The total time baking time should be about 55 to 60 minutes. Cool the pie on a rack until room temperature, about 3 hours. Cover loosely and refrigerate until ready to serve. The pie is best when served within 2 days of baking and can be warmed slightly in a 300F oven, if desired.