Alan's Pumpkin Pie

By beanie

Ingredients

• 1 portion Alan's Pie Pastry, (recipe below), or 1 rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crust
• 1-1/4 cups canned pumpkin
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1-1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 Recipe Hazelnut Mousse (recipe below)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out pastry, flouring work surface and rolling pin as needed, to a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a 9-inch pie tin or plate without stretching. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Place in freezer 10 minutes. Line pastry with foil pie pan (see Blind Baking, below); fill with dried beans or pie weights. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes. Carefully remove foil pie pan. Bake 5 minutes more. Cool on wire rack. (If using rolled refrigerated crust, bake according to package directions.)

2. In a saucepan combine pumpkin, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves; cook and stir over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes to integrate flavors. Remove from heat.

3. Beat in eggs; add milk, cream, and vanilla. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust. Bake for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 1 hour. Refrigerate to store. Serve with Hazelnut mousse. Makes 10 servings.

Hazelnut Mousse: In mixing bowl beat 1/4 cup pasteurized egg whites until soft peaks form (tips curl over when beaters are lifted). In small saucepan combine 1/4 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar; cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Cook at a steady boil over medium heat until mixture reaches 240 degrees F (about 5 minutes). Beat egg whites on high speed, slowly pouring in the hot sugar mixture (pour against side of bowl, not in the beaters). When all of sugar mixture is added, continue beating 5 minutes more to cool mixture. In a large bowl whisk together 1 cup whipping cream and 1, 8-oz. carton mascarpone cheese; whisk in the 2 Tbsp. Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur, if desired, and 1/3 cup of the hazelnuts. Whisk in cooled egg whites. Sprinkle with remaining hazelnuts. Serve with Pumpkin Pie.

Alan's Pie Pastry: In a very large bowl combine 3 ¿¿ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, ¿¿ to 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and ¿¿ teaspoon baking powder. With a pastry blender cut in 1 ¿¿ cups cold unsalted butter leaving chunks the size of peas. Combine 2/3 cup ice-cold water, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Add liquid all at once to the flour mixture. Quickly stir to distribute; do not overmix. The dough should be slightly crumbly. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The finished dough should break, not stretch. Divide into three portions; shape into disks. Use at once or wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. Or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen.