Spiced Pumpkin Pie

 

 

Some people like their pumpkin pie to have only a modest amount of spices, letting the pumpkin flavor really shine through. I, on the other hand, absolutely adore the autumn spice mixture of nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and clove. To me, a pumpkin pie that really spices things up is sublime. And the addition of just a small amount of molasses gives this pumpkin pie even more depth of flavor. This recipe is something I developed after taking various elements from different pumpkin pie recipes I have loved over the years.

1 recipe flaky pie crust (you will use the bottom crust only - you can freeze the other half of the dough, or double this filling recipe and make two pies at once)

1 1/2 Cups cooked pumpkin (or one 15 oz can of cooked pumpkin)
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cornstarch
1/8 Cup Molasses
2 eggs
1 twelve ounce can of Evaporated Milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out your crust, place it in the pie pan, and crimp the edges. Place it in the fridge until you are ready to fill it.

In a small bowl, mix together the sugars, salt, spices and cornstarch. In a separate mixing bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add the pumpkin into the eggs, then mix in the spiced sugar mixture and the molasses. When it is mixed well, slowly pour the evaporated milk in, stirring to incorporate it in gradually (The mixture will be thin).

Take your pie shell out of the fridge and place it on a cookie sheet incase of spillover. Pour the pumpkin filling into the pie shell and carefully move it into the oven. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350 and bake an additional 45-50 minutes, until the filling is set in the middle. (Check after 30 minutes to see if the crust is getting too brown - if it is, cover edges with tin foil.) The filling is set when you give it a gentle shake and it is only very slightly jiggly in the center.  If you want to be certain, you can insert a toothpick in the center and see if it is still liquidy. The filling will set more as it cools, so don't cook it until it is totally solid or it will be overdone.

Cool to room temperature before slicing with a sharp knife dipped in hot water. Optional: Serve with whipped cream.