A relatively old-fashioned pumpkin pie with a few tasty twists. One, it uses coconut milk in lieu of half and half or evaporated milk—although you could substitute either if you’d prefer—adding creaminess without any perceivable coconut flavor. Two, it’s a little heavy on the spices, amplifying their effect. And three, it adds crystallized ginger to the whipped cream, which simply puts the whole thing over the top.
Serves 8 to 10
- FOR THE CRUST
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
- FOR THE FILLING AND WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
- 1 1/4 cups coconut milk (see above)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup chopped candied, sugared, or crystallized ginger, plus more for garnish (see below)
To make the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms a coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until moist clumps form when the dough is pinched (add more water as needed). Turn the dough onto a work surface, shape into a 3/4-inch-thick disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm enough to roll, at least 30 minutes. (You can make the dough in advance, storing it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to several months. If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator before proceeding.)
To make the pie, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle. Fit the dough into a 9-inch deep dish pie pan and trim the excess to a 3/4-inch overhang, then use the overhang to create a decorative edge. Use a fork to pierce the bottom of the pastry all over. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (You can refrigerate the pastry, covered, for up to a day.)
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the chilled pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet and line the shell with foil and pie weights. Bake 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the shell is just set, about 5 minutes. Remove the pie shell from the oven and set it aside to cool slightly (leave the oven on).
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, combine the pumpkin, coconut milk, eggs, sour cream, molasses, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, salt, vanilla, and cloves and beat until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350°F and continue to bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 more minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. (You can refrigerate the cooled pie, covered, for up to a day.)
To make the whipped cream, just before serving, in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the ginger. Top the pie with the whipped cream, garnish with additional ginger, and serve.
NOTE Candied ginger can be found in the spice section of most major supermarkets, but it’s much less expensive if you find it in the Asian or ethnic section or with the bulk foods.
