Recipe Sun Oct 05 2008

It's Never Too Early for Pumpkin Pie

Autumn is my favorite time of year. Not only for the crisp weather and beautiful colors, but for the food. Let's be honest, mostly for the food. I was digging through my family recipes today and came across my Grandma's recipe for pumpkin pie - honestly the best I've ever had. This might be because of the memories I have of making it with her and my mom more times than I can count (we're already making baking plans for Thanksgiving this year). Despite my ties to this recipe, I really do stand by its amazing flavor, light texture and buttery pie crust. It might seem a little early in the year for pumpkin pie, but for me it's never too early.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
3 eggs, divided
1 cup sugar, reserve 1/2 cup for meringue
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cold water
1 envelope Knox gelatin

Add sugar, pumpkin, milk, salt and spices to slightly beaten eggs yolks (save egg whites); mix in top of double boiler (over boiling water) and cook until thickened. Soften gelatin in cold water and add to hot pumpkin mixture, remove from heat and cool. While pumpkin mixture is cooling, beat egg whites until fairly stiff and gradually add reserved sugar. When mixture is cool, fold in egg whites. Pour into baked pie shell (completely cooled), cover and chill over night. If you want to go the extra mile and make the pie crust, continue reading.

This pie crust recipe is also my Grandma's, she got it from a friend named Erna.

Erna's Pie Crust
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cup shortening
1 T. white vinegar
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
5 T. water

Mix flour and shortening; beat egg, water and vinegar and add to flour mixture. Mix with a fork, chill before rolling out. Bake at 350 until golden brown.

— Kaitlin Olson / Comments (0)