Pumpkin Pie

                                                   

It's that time of the year again; Halloween is approaching, the weather is turning a bit chillier, and pumpkins are in abundance. So why not make your own pumpkin pie? It's really easy and you can make it for Thanksgiving or any occasion. But if you really want to go the extra mile then buy a pumpkin you can bake with and roast in the oven for a few hours until it gets soft and scoop out the flesh then proceed to make your pumpkin pie with fresh pumpkin purée. You can also make mini pumpkin pies using mini tart shells, which are better if you don't feel like slicing a whole pie. Either way serve this on its own or with some whipped cream and you've got a fantastic seasonal dessert that guests always love.

Ingredients

Pastry:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

ice water

Filling:

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin purée

1 (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

sprinkle of ground cinnamon

sprinkle of ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground allspice

In a food processor, blitz the flour and the butter together until it resembles breadcrumbs

Add the sugar and the egg and slowly add enough ice water until a soft, slightly crumby dough forms

Gently press the dough together on a surface until no longer crumbly and cover with cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour

Roll the cold dough out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a penny 

Lay the dough over a 9 inch pie dish and gently press it into the dish and trim off any excess pastry around the sides

Refrigerate it again for 15 minutes then preheat your oven to 350°F

Mix the pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, and spices together in a bowl

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie crust and bake for about 40-50 minutes, until it's set and puffed up slightly

Allow it to cool a little before serving with cream