Oh my goodness, Thanksgiving is in FOUR DAYS. This is crazy talk. Like, how???
As much as I love Thanksgiving and all of the festivities that come with it, it’s a little bittersweet. It means my favorite season is coming to a close. I love winter, but not nearly as much as fall. And to be completely honest, I’m a little afraid of spring and summer.
But that’s how time works. Seasons come and go, flowers bloom, rain falls, leaves turn, snow coats the ground, and it all happens again. I may not have any idea what spring and summer will look like, but I know I can always look forward to next fall.
Woah, that got a little deep for a post about pie. If you’re reading this, you’re probably saying to yourself “Alright enough dramatics, get to the PIE.” If that is in fact what you are thinking, you’re entirely right. You came here for pie and pie is what you shall receive.
Ok I lied. I have one last thing, but it’s pie related. So you’re probably super duper busy on Thanksgiving day, so a really cool thing about this pie is that you can actually make it in advance. There are two options here. Number one, you could make the pie dough the night before to save you some time the next day. Number two, you could make the whole pie except for the topping the day before, then wrap it in cling wrap and chill it overnight. Not only will this save time and kitchen space on Thanksgiving, but also enhances the flavors of the pie. Now all you have left is the brûlée topping.
Let’s Talk Pumpkin Pie
After the Thanksgiving feast, everyone needs a little something sweet. And through the years that has included cake, cookies, muffins, and other such fall things. But not pumpkin pie. Before this one, the only pumpkin pie I had had was, simply put, bad. But when you make a homemade crust, add a little chai spice, and a touch of fancy sugar, you’re left with the perfect elegant centerpiece to close off a feast.
What is a Brûlée Pie?
Before I get too deep into the details, lets talk about this “brûlée” business. You’ve probably heard of creme brûlée (I made this one for Thanksgiving last year). If you haven’t, it’s smooth creamy custard topped with a crunchy layer of torched caramelized sugar. The caramelized sugar is the brûlée part by the way. I love brûlée-ing things (we’re making that a word for todays purposes). It smells so yummy and just really ups the flavors to a lot of desserts. Plus, I got a kitchen torch so why not put it to good use? Anyway, this pie takes your classic creamy pumpkin pie filling, and adds that crunchy layer on top. My mom said this was her favorite pumpkin pie ever, because of this sugar topping.
You read that right folks, this pie has the Mom stamp of approval.
Describe this Pie to Me
Taste: Ok, so I may or may not have posted a pumpkin chai centered recipe about a week ago… but it’s just such a yummy combo! And I promise, these are two very different desserts. So you’ve got a buttery pastry crust, a sweet and spicy pumpkin filling, and a bittersweet crunch from the sugar.
Texture: Each element here has a different texture. The crust is flakey and melts in your mouth, while the filling is creamy and delicate. And to add that crunch factor, we have a toasty brûlée topping.
Ease: I always thought pumpkin pie was this big complicated thing to make, but it’s actually one of the easiest pies. The crust is quick and simple, as is the filling. You do have to blind bake the crust, but that’s kind of fun in my opinion! And for the topping, it requires a little patience to torch all of your slices but I promise it is worth it.
The Crust
This is your classic pie crust. Buttery, flakey, and delicate. It’s made by cutting cold butter and vegetable shortening into flour with a little salt. Then add some water to make a dough and thats it. After that chills for a while, roll it out and par-bake it. That just means pre baking it with some pie weights before we add the filling so you don’t get the dreaded “soggy bottom”. Super simple, wholesome, and tasty!
The Filling
Ok so the star of the show is obviously pumpkin. But we’ve got the warming spices found in chai tea in there to, for maximum fall feels. That’s cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, you know, the tasties. Plus you’ve got your basics like milk, sugar, and eggs. One of the key things is a little cornstarch. This ensures that the filling will stay put and not spill out of the crust. This leaves us with a smooth and creamy filling, which goes perfectly with the brûlée topping.
Ok so, are we all ready for Thanksgiving? I know it’s kinda crazy right now but it’s always a good idea to do some planning. And maybe plan to make this pie… just a suggestion.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Make good food, eat good food, and have fun!
Pumpkin Chai Brûlée Pie
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl, toss together the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter and shortening with a pastry cutter until pea sized crumbs form and flour is slightly moistened. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the cold water until a shaggy dough forms. Do this one Tablespoon at a time, as the amount of water will vary depending on weather, climate, and time of year. The dough shouldn't be crumbly or sticky , but soft and shaggy with patches of butter. I usually do about 6-7 Tablespoons.
- Dump the shaggy dough onto a floured surface and form it into a ball. You don't want to knead it, just shape it into a ball. Then, flatten it slightly with your hands into a thick disk and wrap tightly with cling wrap. Chill the covered dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ and get out a 9 inch pie dish.
- Once chilled, roll the dough out into a 12 inch circle on a floured surface. Try to rotate the dough frequently to make sure it isn't sticking, and to help you get an even circle shape. Flip the dough over a few times to make sure it isn't sticking, and don't be afraid to add more flour to your work surface. If the dough is losing its circular shape, use your hands to reshape it, and pinch the cracks closed.
- Carefully transfer the rolled out dough to the pie dish and use your fingers to press it into place. Pinch any rips closed, and fold over the edges to create a thick and even crust. You can crimp the crust with a fork, flute it with your fingers, or leave it as it is.
- Line the crust with parchment paper. I find crumpling up the parchment helps make it easier to lay it flat in the crust. Fill with pie weights (you might need 2 sets to evenly fill the crust)
- Bake the crust with the pie weights for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove the pie weights and parchment, prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork to create air vents, and bake without the weights for another 7-8 more minutes. The edges should just be starting to brown, and should not yet be fully cooked. Remove from the oven to cool slightly as we prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, and brown sugar. Add the cornstarch, salt, chai spice, heavy cream, and milk. Whisk until smooth and combined. Filling should be very thin.
- Pour the filling into the warm crust, almost to the top. You will probably have some extra filling, you can use that to make mini pies!
- Bake pie for 55-65 minutes or until mostly set except for a small wobbly part in the center of the pie. You may need to tent the crust of the pie with foil after a while to stop the crust from over browning.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours before slicing and adding the topping. However, I recommend additionally chilling the pie covered with cling wrap overnight. This will deepen the flavors and texture. If you don't have the time, the pie will still be delicious after only 3 hours of rest time.
- Slice however many pieces of the cooled pie you need. Sprinkle each with about a Tablespoon of sugar (it should be a thick layer). Using a kitchen torch, brûlée the sugar on top until it melts and starts to brown. Serve immediately.
- Pie without the topping will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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