Description
Pumpkin shpumpkin! A roasted butternut squash purée makes the silkiest, smoothest, tastiest pumpkin pie you can imagine.
Notes:
- For a more visual guide to making the pie dough, rolling it out, and crimping the edges, watch the video below.
- I love my Emile Henry pie plate (similar to this one).
- Also, if you cannot muster the energy to roast a butternut squash — but please please try…you won’t be disappointed — you can use one 15-oz can of pumpkin purée in place of the 2 cups of squash purée.
- One medium butternut squash (2 lb. 10oz) yields about 3 cups purée.
- On Cracking: More often than not, my butternut squash pie will crack after it has finished baking. I have researched why this happens and consistently have found two answers: overcooking and cooling too quickly. The solutions? Do not over-bake the pie; do not let it cool too quickly. I have tried both: I test the custard with an instant-read thermometer and end the baking when it reaches 175ºF. I turn the oven off after the pie has reached 175ºF, crack the oven door, and let the pie cool slowly. No matter what I do, the pie cracks. My solution:
- Pie Crust Cookies
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
- Homemade Pie Dough (one parbaked shell)
For the pie:
- 1 medium butternut squash, about 2.5 lbs or enough to yield 2 cups of purée, see notes above
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground or powdered nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (I omit)
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- confectioners’ sugar
- flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Halve and clean the butternut squash, rub the flesh lightly with olive oil, and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cut-side down, until very soft, about an hour (but start checking after 45 minutes).
- Lower the oven temperature to 350ºF.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, transfer it to a food processor, and puree until smooth. Measure out 2 cups. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, sugar, and spices. Whisk in the squash.
- Place the parbaked pie shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Add the squash mixture to the pie shell and bake at 350ºF for 55 to 65 minutes or until the center is barely set. Let cool completely before serving.
- To make the salted whipped cream: Whip heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer until soft peaks begin to form. (You can do this by hand, too, with a bowl and whisk.) Add confectioner’s sugar — start with 1/4 cup and add more to taste. Add a big pinch of sea salt and beat until the peaks begin getting firmer. Taste — the mixture should be slightly sweet and the salt should be noticeable, though the whipped cream should not taste salty.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hours 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
