I can’t believe how many young adults don’t know how or have never made pies! Now, I know people are “scared” of making pie. But why? There are only three things that could be scary about pie-making: 1. That you may not be able to control yourself and you’ll eat the entire pie- would that be so bad? 2. Depending upon how much you get “into it,” you could end up having your kitchen looking like a flour bomb exploded. (This is the way mine looks — and it’s worth it). Or 3. That the pie may be so plum full of deliciousness that it may bubble over in your oven, smoke out your house and set your alarm off. A wave of a dish towel and an open door will take care of that …
But put those fears a side. Baking a pie is both fun and rewarding, and there are tons of types to choose from, so you can get exactly the pie you want. There are fresh fruits baked in two-layer crusts, such as my recipe for Apple Cranberry Pie with flaky cheddar cheese crust — not just your standard apple pie! OR you could try a fluffy chiffon-style. It is “oh, so seasonal” in an Eggnog Chiffon Pie with a little nutmeg and graham cracker crumbs added to a conventional crust. And then, of course, there are the traditional holiday favorites, pumpkin and pecan.
This holiday season I’m giving you my recipe for “Gimme Both”– a layer of pumpkin on the bottom and a layer of pecan on top, baked to perfect togetherness and topped with a pouf of Bourbon Whipped Cream. You’ll surely get “ohhhs and ahhhs” from the table.
“Gimme Both” Pumpkin-Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
1 (9-inch) uncooked Classic Flaky Pie Crust (recipe follows)
Pumpkin Layer
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pecan Layer
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 eggs
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pecan halves or pieces
Bourbon Whipped Cream
1 cup cream
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon
Preheat an oven to 425°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the Pumpkin Layer ingredients. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine all of the Pecan Layer ingredients except the pecans and mix until smooth. Stir in the pecans.
Spread the pumpkin mixture into the unbaked pie shell, then very carefully spoon the pecan mixture over the top, being careful to keep the layers separate. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake the pie for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is slightly puffy and the pecan layer is just set. Cool on a wire rack.
To make the Bourbon Whipped Cream: in a large bowl, whip the cream, sour cream, and brown sugar until lightly whipped. Stir in the bourbon.
Serve the pie with dollops of Bourbon Whipped Cream. The pie will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 2 to 3 days, but I don’t know anyone who could keep this pie that long!
Classic Flaky Pie Crust
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie crust
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening or lard
2 tablespoons cold butter
2 tablespoons ice water
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening and butter until the particles are pea-sized. Sprinkle in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork until the dough comes together in a ball. Do not over-handle the dough. (If the dough is too soft, press it gently into a disk and refrigerate for about 20 minutes before rolling.) On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a bit bigger than your pan. Brush any excess flour off the dough and fit the dough into the pan. Roll the dough over at the edges, trimming off any excess, then crimp it with your fingers to make a pretty crust edge. Chill the crust until you’re ready to fill and bake it.
Recipe from Dishing with Kathy Casey: Food, Fun & Cocktails from Seattle’s Culinary Diva, Sasquatch Books, Seattle. Copyright © 2002 by Kathy Casey.
