Mr. Pumpkin "after"- Homemade Pumpkin Pie!

Sticky gooey goodness

There is a time for everything, and the time had come to attempt my first homemade pumpkin pie. I used the recipe for "Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie" found at this link .

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.
3. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (Do not freeze as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.)

The only difference is that instead of the canned pumpkin, I used 2 cups of pumpkin puree, and homemade crust. I am pasting instructions to both below, courtesy of the famous Kathleen Bolick Rincon.

Pie Crust

1/2 c. butter (unsalted) chilled (1 stick)
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsps. sugar
1/6 c. water ---- or 3-4 tablespoons cold water

Combine flour and sugar.  Add tablespoon sized pieces of cold butter.
Use a fork to mash butter with flour and sugar mixture.  keep mashing
until clumps are formed.  When you have about even sized clumps.  Add
the water a little bit at a time until the dough starts to come
together.  Once it does knead the dough about 10 times until a ball or
disc is formed.  Place in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes before
baking. 


Note: I left my dough in the fridge for a whole hour and it was rock solid, so I had to add water and knead it more. Pretty sure it would have come out better if I would have left it in for just 30 minutes. Ooops!!

To make pumpkin puree.  Bake pumpkin in oven covered with aluminum
foil for 15-30 minutes unitl tender.  Once tender remove rind and mash
with a fork to make puree.  Remove any excess water by draining.
Ready to use in your recipe.

Here is a more detailed guide to pumpkin puree, with pictures!

I will admit that as I was making a disaster in my kitchen and getting an arm workout mashing up the pumkin, the thought did cross my mind..."Is this worth it? I think canned pumpkin would have been better...Lord please let this pumpkin pie be edible!"

But, after making it, I will admit, that using the real pumpkin gives it a really different taste and texture, which seem much more fresh and genuine, and much less like the canned version. So, I will definitely be baking will real pumpkin again. The other good news is that Mr. Pumpkin yielded 2 servings of puree, so now I have enough for another pumpkin dessert :) I have been eyeballing this Pioneer Woman recipe for Pumpkin Cream Pie , which looks delicious. 

For David's first pumpkin carving experience, he did a great job! :)

My first attempt with homemade crust may or may not have resulted in flour all over the kitchen.

Pumpkin after being in the oven for a while...ready to be pureed!

Final product. Simply yum.