This crazy delish recipe was written by one of my fave girlfriends:
Joanna Colville Reeves aka 'The Brit Beet', who happens to be a Cordon Bleu Chef + a Holistic Nutritionist!
Thankfully, this good-for-you pie can be made without gluten, dairy or sugar!!
When you look at pumpkins, you already know from their vibrant color that they are full of beta carotene (aka vitamin A), helping to improve our eyesight and fight off free-radical damage [Yes, that means it's good for your skin!]
Cooked pumpkin also contains a hefty amount of fiber to keep our waistlines trim, a great source of potassium for a happy heart and vitamin C for keeping away unwanted colds and flu.
Crust Ingredients
1 ¼ cups of unbleached, organic (whole) wheat flour or organic Kamut flour (For gluten-free version: 3/4 cups of buckwheat flour and ½ cup of brown rice flour or 1¼ cups of a gluten-free flour mix)
½ teaspoon of sea salt
½ cup COLD unsalted (grass fed, if possible) butter (ghee or coconut oil could be used as an alternative) ideally cut into 1/2" pieces
¼ cup + 1 teaspoon of iced water
1 tablespoon of coconut sugar
The Filling
3 large eggs
2 heaping cups of fresh pumpkin puree
2/3 lbs of 'sugar' or 'pie' pumpkins
½ cup of heavy whipping cream (or for non dairy ½ cup coconut cream)
½ cup coconut sugar plus 4 drops of liquid stevia
2 heaped teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
½ teaspoon of ground cloves
½ teaspoon of sea salt
Ginger Pecan Crumble
1/2 cup (50 grams) pecans
1/2 cup (50 grams) crushed gingersnap cookies
Maple Cream
1 cup of whipping cream (35% fat) or for an awesome dairy-free option try Joanna's to-die-for Maple Cashew Cream
1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup
Pastry Prep
In a food processor, place flour, salt and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add 2 - 3 tablespoons of cold water and use the pulse setting to mix only until the dough holds together when pinched, adding more cold water a little at a time until it holds.
Turn the dough onto a work surface and roll into a ball. Flatten into a disk and then cover with unbleached parchment paper and then cover the parchment paper with plastic wrap as this prevents the BPA’s (carcinogenic toxins) in the plastic wrap from touching the pastry.
Refrigerate the pastry for 20/30 minutes allowing the gluten to relax and the butter to chill down. Whilst the pastry is chilling out in the fridge, let's steam the pumpkins and make the filling!
Filling Prep
Wash and scrub the exterior of the pumpkin(s) and cut into halves. Remove all the seeds and string (if any), then cut into quarters and place in a steamer basket.
Steam for 15/20 mins or until the flesh is soft. Scoop out the flesh (leaving behind the skin) and place into a high-speed blender, pureeing until smooth.
In a large bowl lightly whisk the eggs. Add the remaining pumpkin filling ingredients and stir to combine. Put to one side.
Meanwhile, grease your pie dish thoroughly and set the oven temperature to 350F making sure you have an oven rack set on the bottom third of the oven for the pie to sit on.
1/2 cup (50 grams) pecans
1/2 cup (50 grams) crushed gingersnap cookies
Maple Cream
1 cup of whipping cream (35% fat) or for an awesome dairy-free option try Joanna's to-die-for Maple Cashew Cream
1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup
Pastry Prep
In a food processor, place flour, salt and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add 2 - 3 tablespoons of cold water and use the pulse setting to mix only until the dough holds together when pinched, adding more cold water a little at a time until it holds.
Turn the dough onto a work surface and roll into a ball. Flatten into a disk and then cover with unbleached parchment paper and then cover the parchment paper with plastic wrap as this prevents the BPA’s (carcinogenic toxins) in the plastic wrap from touching the pastry.
Refrigerate the pastry for 20/30 minutes allowing the gluten to relax and the butter to chill down. Whilst the pastry is chilling out in the fridge, let's steam the pumpkins and make the filling!
Filling Prep
Wash and scrub the exterior of the pumpkin(s) and cut into halves. Remove all the seeds and string (if any), then cut into quarters and place in a steamer basket.
Steam for 15/20 mins or until the flesh is soft. Scoop out the flesh (leaving behind the skin) and place into a high-speed blender, pureeing until smooth.
In a large bowl lightly whisk the eggs. Add the remaining pumpkin filling ingredients and stir to combine. Put to one side.
Meanwhile, grease your pie dish thoroughly and set the oven temperature to 350F making sure you have an oven rack set on the bottom third of the oven for the pie to sit on.
Back To The Pastry
By now your pastry dough will be well chilled, so place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to cover your 9" pie dish to about a 13" circle.
Keep lifting and quarter-turning the pastry to prevent it from sticking, making sure to roll from the centre to the outside. Once you have the right size, fold the dough carefully over your rolling pin and transfer to the centre of your greased pie dish.
Unfold and press the pastry into the base of the pie dish and up the edges, tucking the overhanging pastry under itself.
Press down the edges of the pastry with the tines of a fork to make a decorative border then refrigerate the shell pie whilst you make the easy Ginger Pecan Crumble.
Ginger Pecan Crumble
Toast the pecans in 350F oven for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Alternatively, you can roast them in a dry pan until fragrant and lightly toasted.
Place the pecans and gingersnaps in a food processor; pulse until you have a crumble texture.
Take the pie shell out of the fridge and using your fingers, gently press the crumble into the base and up the sides of pie dish.
Maple Cream
Whip together the whipping cream and maple syrup until firm peaks are formed.
Increase the oven temperature to 375F.
Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the pie shell and place on a large baking pan to catch any spills and place in the bottom third of the oven - this helps bake the crust more effectively.
Bake the pie for 50/55 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust has a golden brown hue and the centre of the pie looks moist. (A knife inserted 1 inch in the side of the pie will come out almost clean if it is properly cooked.)
Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool whilst you step back and admire your glorious creation.
Let's Bake!
Increase the oven temperature to 375F.
Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the pie shell and place on a large baking pan to catch any spills and place in the bottom third of the oven - this helps bake the crust more effectively.
Bake the pie for 50/55 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust has a golden brown hue and the centre of the pie looks moist. (A knife inserted 1 inch in the side of the pie will come out almost clean if it is properly cooked.)
Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool whilst you step back and admire your glorious creation.
By now your pastry dough will be well chilled, so place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to cover your 9" pie dish to about a 13" circle.
Keep lifting and quarter-turning the pastry to prevent it from sticking, making sure to roll from the centre to the outside. Once you have the right size, fold the dough carefully over your rolling pin and transfer to the centre of your greased pie dish.
Unfold and press the pastry into the base of the pie dish and up the edges, tucking the overhanging pastry under itself.
Press down the edges of the pastry with the tines of a fork to make a decorative border then refrigerate the shell pie whilst you make the easy Ginger Pecan Crumble.
Ginger Pecan Crumble
Toast the pecans in 350F oven for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Alternatively, you can roast them in a dry pan until fragrant and lightly toasted.
Place the pecans and gingersnaps in a food processor; pulse until you have a crumble texture.
Take the pie shell out of the fridge and using your fingers, gently press the crumble into the base and up the sides of pie dish.
Maple Cream
Whip together the whipping cream and maple syrup until firm peaks are formed.
Increase the oven temperature to 375F.
Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the pie shell and place on a large baking pan to catch any spills and place in the bottom third of the oven - this helps bake the crust more effectively.
Bake the pie for 50/55 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust has a golden brown hue and the centre of the pie looks moist. (A knife inserted 1 inch in the side of the pie will come out almost clean if it is properly cooked.)
Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool whilst you step back and admire your glorious creation.
Let's Bake!
Increase the oven temperature to 375F.
Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the pie shell and place on a large baking pan to catch any spills and place in the bottom third of the oven - this helps bake the crust more effectively.
Bake the pie for 50/55 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust has a golden brown hue and the centre of the pie looks moist. (A knife inserted 1 inch in the side of the pie will come out almost clean if it is properly cooked.)
Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool whilst you step back and admire your glorious creation.
It's so good for you, you can even have it for breakfast!.
