Delicious Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients for 2 small pies or 1 large one

• 100 grams of brown cane sugar
• 80 gram of unsalted butter
• 3 Tbpsn lemon juice
• 1 Tbspn Milk
• 1 vanilla bean or 0.5 tspn of vanilla extract
• 150 grams of All Purpose flour
• 1 tspn ground cinnamon
• 1 tspn ground ginger
• 0.5 tspn freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 Tbspn freshly finely grind ginger
• 2 Tbspn cornstarch (counteract the liquids from the lemon, milk and ginger)
• 0.5 tspn fine sea salt

Ingredients for the pie filling

• 1 Kg of pumpkin, butternut squash, peeled and deseeded cut into moderate size chunks
• 25 gram unsalted butter
• 140 gram caster sugar
• 1 tspn cinnamon
• 0.5 tspn salt
• 0.5 tspn freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 beaten eggs
• 175ml milk
• 1 Tbspn icing sugar

Preparation for the pie crust

1Mix together butter and sugar on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. While continuing to mix, stream in lemon juice, followed by milk and vanilla, until evenly combined.

2In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, grated ginger, cornstarch and salt until combined. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add in one-third of the dry ingredient mixture until evenly combined. Repeat with the next third of the dry ingredients, then the final third.

3Transfer the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Form the dough into a rectangle no more than 1.5cm thick, wrap in the plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 hours.

4Remove the dough from the fridge. Divide the dough in half (this recipe yields two pie crusts, so you can keep one half wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 35 cm round. Transfer to a pie tin, gently pressing down into the corners and up the sides. Trim away excess dough using a paring knife, leaving a 2 cm overhang around the edge. Fold the edges under, then form a fluted edge around the rim with your fingers. Lightly dock the bottom surface of the dough with a fork. Now continue with the next step of this recipe.

Preparation for the pie filling and baking

1Place the pumpkin in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 mins or until tender. Drain pumpkin; let cool.

2Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 24cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill for 15 mins. Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the beans and paper, and cook for a further 10 mins until the base is pale golden and biscuity. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

3Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Push the cooled pumpkin through a sieve into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg and half the cinnamon. Mix in the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk, then add to the pumpkin purée and stir to combine. Pour into the tart shell and cook for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Continue to bake for 35-40 mins until the filling has just set.

4Leave to cool, then remove the pie from the tin. Mix the remaining cinnamon with the icing sugar and dust over the pie. Serve chilled.