Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Sweet Walnut Crust
From Yankee Magazine — October 2011
From Best New England Recipes — October 2011
Pies and Pastries Recipes
Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 225 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
For the Piecrust
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup graham-cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons salted butter, melted
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
- 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
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.
Reviews by Readers
I made this pie and after our family tasted it and loved it I made a second pie the very next day!! This is definitely a recipe that will be a tradition for our family every fall. – Reviewed by Dana Witterman
I had lost my grandmother's recipe for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie, a staple at our Thanksgiving table. I have been searching for 2 years to find a similar recipe...and this is it! My family loves this pie! – Anonymous Review
This is a fabulous pie! It's very light and the pumpkin is not overwhelming. I highly recommend it. – Anonymous Review
This is a great alternative to a traditional pumpkin pie! It is so much lighter! My family loved it and is asking me to make it again this year. – Reviewed by Maryellen Rousseau
This is a new family favorite. I have to make three pies every Thanksgiving. One for my nephew and one for my sister-in-law and one just for me. Yum! – Anonymous Review
My husband wanted to try this--I was a little unsure, but it was a hit. It was chosen over traditional pie -- by pumpkin pie eaters! You can do it without a food grinder, too. – Reviewed by Deb Kukal
This was a little tricky the first time I made it, as I had never made custard, but it was well worth the effort! Everyone that I have served this to absolutely loves it. – Reviewed by Julia Ashton
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