by: Zaynab Issa
Cook Time
50-65 minutes
Prep Time
40 minutes
Yield
8-10 servings
@zaynab_issa
“Store-bought pie dough cuts out so much time, especially with pumpkin pie, where it's all about the filling.”
Total Time
50-65 minutes
Prep Time
40 minutes
Yield
8-10 servings
summary
As soon as the temperatures begin to drop, my palate craves all things warm and spicy. For this twist on the classic fall bake, I take inspiration from my go-to cold weather beverage: masala chai. The actual masalas, or spices, used in chai vary from household to household. Here I incorporated the most nostalgic blend for me—cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper—but feel free to play around and add ground cloves, ground anise or even ground fennel seed, depending on your preferences. Using fresh ginger really allows the flavor to push through the intensity of the cinnamon, adding a warming heat that’s truly irresistible. To round everything out, top the rich, custardy pie with a dollop of soft whipped cream.
ingredients
- Pie Dough and Decorative Crust Cutouts
- 1 prepared pie dough (unbaked), store-bought or your favorite recipe
- Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water)
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Chai Spiced Pumpkin Pie
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ inches fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more to garnish
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, optional
- 1 15-ounce can organic pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup loosely packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Black Tea Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 black tea bags
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Pinch of kosher salt
directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. If using a glass or ceramic pie dish, place a rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack to preheat.
- Prepare your pie dish. Use a rolling pin to roll out pie dough to an 11- or 12-inch circle and set it inside the pie dish, gently lifting and pressing down to ensure the dough makes contact with the dish. Trim any overhanging dough, and let dough form an organic ruffle around the edges, or crimp to your desired shape and style. Roll out any remaining dough and punch out decorative shapes using pie crust cutters. Refrigerate the prepared pie dish and pie crust cutouts until the filling is done.
- To make the filling, melt butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Once melted, add ginger and spices and stir until toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add pumpkin puree, maple syrup and salt and stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, until the puree has thickened, darkened in color and reduced in volume by one third, about 10–15 minutes. You should have about 10 ounces of seasoned puree at the end. Allow to cool slightly.
- Transfer pumpkin puree to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 1 cup cold heavy cream and stir to combine. Add eggs one at a time, mixing to combine after each addition. Add brown sugar and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Pour filling into the prepared pie dish. Bake at 425°F for 10–15 minutes or until edges are golden brown, then reduce temperature to 350°F and bake for 40–50 minutes or until set. Filling should jiggle slightly when moved. Let cool, then refrigerate overnight.
- Transfer decorative pie crust cutouts to a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with salt and bake until crisp and golden, about 10–15 minutes at 425°F.
- To make the whipped cream, add heavy cream and tea bags to the bowl of a stand mixer and steep overnight in the refrigerator. Alternatively, heat cream and tea bags in a small saucepan until simmering. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and let cool to room temperature, about 20–30 minutes, then chill until very cold. When ready to serve, add maple syrup and a pinch of kosher salt to the infused cream. Using the whisk attachment on medium speed, whip until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Cut pie into 8 or 10 even pieces. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a decorative pie crust cutout, and a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom.
notes
Cooking the pumpkin puree on the stove helps intensify the flavors, draw out excess moisture and bloom the spices, resulting in a richer, spicier pie.
Don’t toss pie dough scraps. Use them to make small decorations for serving with decorative pie crust punches.
Flavoring whipped cream is a great way to add a little something special. If you overbeat your cream, stir in some heavy cream to relax it.
For the perfect first slice, the second cut should be just slightly shy of where the two cuts would typically meet.
