American Pumpkin Pie

This is my favorite pumpkin pie recipe. It's perfect to help welcome in the holiday season!

American Pumpkin Pie

serves 8

For pie filling:

• 2lb piece of sweet pie pumpkin (not your garden variety Halloween pumpkins! These pumpkins are naturally sweeter and can be found at most grocery stores around the holidays)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 4tbsp light corn syrup
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Confectioners' (powdered) sugar, for dusting
• 
  

For pie crust:

• 1 3/4 cup plain all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, diced
  
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp chilled water
  
• or 1 pre-made pie shell (bottom only)

1. Skip ahead to step 3 if using a pre-made pie shell.
   
2. To make pastry, sift flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter, then mix in egg yolk and enough chilled water to make a soft dough. Roll into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 mins.
3. Peel and seed pumpkin. Cut the flesh into cubes. Place in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Mash well until smooth, then spoon into a sieve (strainer) and set over a bowl to drain. Preheat oven to 400 F.
   
4. Roll out the pastry. Line a 9in loose based flan tin (pie baking pan). Prick base all over with a fork. Line with foil and baking beans (uncooked dry beans or uncooked rice can be used in place of ceramic baking beans). Chill for 15 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and beans, then bake further for 5 minutes.
   
5. Lower oven temperature to 375 F. Tip the pumpkin into a bowl and beat in the eggs, sugar, syrup, cream, spice and salt to make a smooth filling. Pour into the pastry shell. Bake for 40 minutes until set. Dust generously with icing sugar. Serve at room temperature.
   

Nutritional info per serving: 416 cal. ; 5.3g protein ; 38.2g carb. , 18.6g from sugar ; 28g fat, 16.9g saturated fat ; 114mg cholesterol ; 98mg calcium ; 1.9 fiber ; 360mg sodium.