I HAD to grace FMG with a pumpkin pie this year. Had to.
Happy Thursday, all! This week has been a drag and a half. I enjoyed a couple extra days off that we were supposed to spend in Orlando at Universal, but due to the endless rain we opted to stay put in Tampa and derp around town, or at home. Honestly, it’s been pretty swell, albeit dreary due to the constant overcast.
The pinnacle of fall baking comes during rainy weather, though, and if you’re looking for a project over a couple of slow, drizzly days, this Chai Spiced Pumpkin Pie is your ticket to cozy, aromatic heaven. Not to mention, a perfect test for Thanksgiving next month.
Pumpkin Pie is classic, timeless, and easy, and this one is warmed up with a blend of chai-inspired spices and boasts the perfect whipped yet thick custardy texture. Your house will smell delicious and the plate will be gobbled up in no time.
I give leftovers a max of two days before they’re wiped out from the fridge. Guaranteed.
Pie Is Nigh
Pies are a multistep process, but it’s more passive time than anything. I always queue up some Small Tasks to accomplish during these boring stages.
First: The Blind Bake. Blind baking your crust ensures no soggy bottom once the custard is added and baked into the crust. I usually do this with pizza crust, too.
Form your pie crust into your pie plate – standard is 9 inches – trimming off the edges as needed so the crust doesn’t overhang. You can use store bought or homemade. Trader Joes brand is THE BEST according to me, if you need to swing by the grocer to snag a box.
As far as crimping the crust goes, I used the three finger poking method thing to achieve the undulations. I’d search the method online because me describing it to you will probably sound pretty unhinged.
Lay a sheet of parchment over the crust. If you’re using pie presses, pop those on top. If you don’t own those, be like me and dump a bag of dried beans into the cavity. I have a bag of chickpeas in my pantry specifically for blind baking crusts.
Bake like so at 400 degrees for 18 minutes. Then, carefully remove the beans/presses and the parchment, poke some holes in the bottom of the crust, and bake 5-7 minutes longer until lightly golden and puffed.
Increase your oven temp to 425 degrees in preparation for THE PIE.
Next: The Custard. While your blind baked crust cools, make your filling.
Start by whipping a whole can of pumpkin puree with brown sugar and regular sugar, and your chai-inspired spice blend: cinnamon, ginger, clove, cardamom, and black pepper. Then, mix in 3 eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Finish by whizzing in some vanilla, evaporated milk, and heavy cream.
In my tests, I found the combo of evaporated milk and cream lent a lovely, light, but appropriately thick texture. If you use all heavy cream, you will achieve a “pie and whipped cream” texture that’s quite nice but not as cohesive. Condensed milk is VERY sweet, and evaporated milk is most classic, but I liked the balance of the two dairies I used. J agreed!
The Crust Shield: Before pouring your custard, prep a shield for the edges of your crust. If they are exposed to the whole baking time, you will end up with burnt, black blotches.
You can purchase pie shields from various outlets, but I make a homemade version with aluminum foil. Carefully cut a circle from foil that its the diameter of the crust, then cut about an inch and a half inside of that circle to make a ring. The thickness should cover those pretty crimps completely.
CAREFULLY pour your custard into the crust. It will fill the entirety of your pan, with that bubbly dome we call a liquid meniscus, so be very mindful when handling the plate and placing it in the oven. Unless your pie plate is very shallow, it will fit all the filling!
Transfer your pie to the oven and place your pie shield over the edges. Take care not to allow the foil to rest on the custard else you will get some cracks. Perfectly edible still, though!
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temp to 350 and bake 35-40 minutes longer. At 35 minutes, star the “jiggle test.” Give your pie plate a gentle wiggle. A perfectly baked pie will wobble like Jello-O in the center 3-4 inches, while the outsides will be set. If it sloshes like seawater, continue baking in 2 minute increments. If the center is fully set, congrats, your pie is overbaked.
When that perfect wobble is achieved, turn off your oven, crack open the door, and let the pie cool gradually for 60-75 minutes. This method is also used for cheesecake to prevent the pie from splitting like a pair of two-small jeans over a large booty. After this period, move the pie plate to a wire rack to cool to room temp.
Cover the pie and set in the fridge for 4-6 hours longer. I prefer overnight. A longer chill will allow the pie to set up perfectly and gives the most lovely, even slice.
Optional leaf adornments! If you have extra pie crust lying around, these cutout leaves are a splendid decoration and a clever way to cover any cracks or imperfections.
Roll the crust to 1/8 inch thickness, or thinner if you can. Use cookie cutters or pie stamps to cut out the leaf shapes and set them on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes until golden. Lay them overtop your pie in the arrangement you prefer. So cute!
Leftovers? Pie keeps extremely well for up to 5 days in the fridge. Honestly, to me it tastes better the longer it sits! Pie can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Garnishes? A dollop of whipped cream is my favorite. Some homemade salted caramel sauce or ice cream (or salted caramel ice cream???) are extra indulgent options too!
This pie is one of my favorite treats of late, so I hope you enjoy!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Pumped for pumpkin?
Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
chai spiced pumpkin pie
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch pie crust, homemade or store bought, thawed
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- pie crust leaves and whipped cream, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Roll out on of your pie crusts and place into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the edges as needed to fit the pan, then crimp around the perimeter as you'd like. Line the crust with parchment and dump in a bag of dried beans or place your pie press in the center, if you have one.
- Blind bake the crust for 18 minutes. Remove the beans/press and the parchment and bake an additional 5 minutes until the bottom is lightly golden. Set on the counter to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
- In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin, both sugars, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and black pepper. Whip in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, the evaporated milk, and the heavy cream. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Slice a ring of aluminum foil that will cover the outside edges of your pie crust. Or, if you have a pie shield, dig that out from your cabinets.
- CAREFULLY pour the custard into your prepared crust. It will fill the crust all the way to the brim, with a meniscus, so take care when you handle it!
- Place the pie in the oven and the foil/regular shield over the crust edges. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 35-40 minutes. The pie is done when the center 3-4 inches wobble slightly like Jell-O. It should not be fully set!
- Switch the oven off and crack the oven door open to let the pie cool for 60-75 minutes. Then remove the pie and cool completely on the counter. Cover and set in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours before slicing and EATSING!
