With its sweet walnut crust, this Pumpkin Chiffon Pie is the star of the dessert table and sure to get called back for a repeat performance.
Watch the Video: The Yankee Kitchen: Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Yield:
8 servingsFor the Piecrust:
Ingredients
1 cup walnuts
1 cup graham-cracker crumbs
1/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
5 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Set a rack to the second-to-bottom position.
Grind walnuts coarsely in a food processor. Add graham crumbs and sugar; then pulse to blend while drizzling in melted butter. Press into a 9-inch pie plate.
Bake 10—15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Piecrust can be made up to 3 weeks in advance and frozen.
For the Filling:
Ingredients
1 tablespoon whiskey or brandy
1/4 cup milk
1 package powdered gelatin
2/3 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin purée, fresh or canned (not pumpkin-pie filling), such as One-Pie brand
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon table salt
11/2 cups heavy cream
Walnut halves
Instructions
In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart pot, whisk whiskey or brandy, milk, and gelatin together over low heat, continuously until gelatin is completely dissolved, 2—3 minutes. Whisk in brown sugar, then eggs one at a time; continue whisking over low heat (don’t let it come to a boil) as you add pumpkin, spices, and salt. Cook 5—7 minutes, until custard is smooth and steaming.
Turn off heat and transfer custard to a large ceramic bowl to cool at room temperature. Don’t refrigerate, because you don’t want the custard to firm up.
In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. When custard has cooled to room temperature (about 45 minutes), fold cream in gently. Fold filling into cooled pie shell; chill at least 2 hours.
Garnish with walnut halves.
