Pumpkin Pie with Walnut Orange Trim

Pumpkin Pie with Walnut-Orange Trim

Well, I think there must be hundreds of thousands of recipes for pumpkin pie circulating out there.  I had intended to post my favourite recipe for this wildly popular fall dessert last month, but never got there.  However, I was wowed by the incredible variety of  mouth-watering recipes for pumpkin pie that kept popping into my WP reader.  They all looked so gorgeous that I almost didn’t post this recipe; but then I took a big step back, and got clear on the original intention of my blog- to post my favourite, tried and true recipes:  the ones that have become a tradition in my family.  This particular recipe has been in my recipe box for as long as I can remember.  Yup, written on an actual 4” X 6” recipe card!  Whoa, it’s been there for a very long time, given to me by some foodie friend or colleague long ago.  Of course back then, the word “foodie” didn’t exist:  I think we called each other “gourmets”.  LOL (oh, wait a minute, that didn’t exist back then either…)  Sorry, I’m getting off track…  I love this recipe because the walnut orange trim gives the pie a surprising dimension – just that extra layer of flavour that you don’t expect.  The pie itself is a perfect sweetness, not cloying or so rich you can’t have a second piece!  Thank goodness for that!!  Serve it with whipped cream.  I haven’t found anything better!!

About the pie crust:  use your favourite recipe for this.  I have experimented with many, but this time I tried the recipe of a fellow blogger at wishfulwhisking.com    Here is the link.

http://wishfulwhisking.com/2013/10/13/the-perfect-pie-crust-and-apple-blackberry-pie/ .  It turned out beautifully!  I made the whole pastry recipe and used half of the dough for this pie.  I froze the other half for some thing I’m sure to make over the holidays.

 Ingredients:

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice (powdered ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon)

1 egg

1 ½ cup canned pumpkin

1 1/3 cup evaporated milk

Orange Walnut Trim

1 teaspoon butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 unbaked pie shell

Method:

 Preheat oven to 425°

Mix ¾ cup brown sugar, flour, salt and pumpkin spice together in a medium bowl.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg.  Add the pumpkin and evaporated milk and mix well.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the sugar mixture and stir well.

Pour into the pie shell and bake for 15 minutes at 425°.

Reduce heat to 325° and bake for 15 minutes more.

Remove pie from oven.

Mix butter, brown sugar, orange rind, and nuts together for the trim.

Spoon the trim around the edge of the filling.

Return pie to the oven and bake at 325° for 15 minutes until the filling has set.

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.

Then when nobody is looking, have a second piece!!