Pumpkin Pie with Honey-Orange Whipped Cream
- MakesMakes one 9-inch pie
- Cook Time1 hour 40 minutes
- Active time plus cooling40 minutes active, plus cooling
- 5
We love pumpkin pie, but we don’t love how dense, cloying and overspiced it can be. We wanted a lighter, fresher take with a pronounced pumpkin flavor. Canned pumpkin puree was a great place to start, but we intensified its flavor by giving it a quick sauté with dark brown sugar. This cooks off excess moisture and lends caramel notes to the mixture. A little bourbon adds complexity that complements the earthiness of the pumpkin and brown sugar, but an equal amount of orange juice works well, too. To give the filling tang and richness, we add crème fraîche instead of the typical evaporated milk. Honey-sweetened, citrus-scented whipped cream (recipe follows) is the perfect accompaniment.
Don’t use canned pumpkin pie filling for this recipe. Look for unsweetened canned pumpkin puree; the only ingredient listed should be pumpkin. After adding the bourbon to the skillet, stir carefully if you're using a gas burner, as splashes may cause the liquid to ignite. If this happens, the flames will extinguish after a few seconds, once the alcohol has burned off.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle position. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, stir together the pumpkin and sugar. Cook over medium high, stirring, until the mixture is thickened, darkened in color and reduced to about 1½ cups, about 10 minutes. Reduce to medium-low, add the bourbon and scrape up any browned bits. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Step 2
To the pumpkin mixture, whisk in the crème fraîche and salt. Add the eggs and whisk until homogeneous. Place the pie pastry in the oven; warm for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour in the filling. Bake until the edges just start to crack and the center sets, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Step 3
Honey-Orange Whipped Cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1½ cups cold heavy cream, 3 tablespoons honey and ½ teaspoon grated orange zest. Using the whisk attachment, mix on low until frothy, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to make sure the honey is incorporated. Mix on medium-high and whip until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
