Pumpkin Brûlée Pie
MAKES
One 8 ½ inch / 22 cm skillet pie
TAKES
Prep time: 2 hours (includes chilling times)
Cook time: 1 hour
Total: 3 hours
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
This pumpkin pie is part classic, and part unexpected. Taking cues from the deliciously rich dessert creme brulee, the pumpkin custard is made slightly creamy with the addition of mascarpone cheese, and boasts a gorgeous layer of caramelized sugar on the surface. The contrast of textures between the flaky crust, smooth filling, and crackly sugar top makes for a truly incredible slice. Baked in a cast iron skillet, you don’t have to fear the dreaded soggy bottom - your pie is guaranteed to have a golden, crisp bottom crust.
INGREDIENTS
one recipe Extra Flaky All Buttah Pie Dough, prepared and well-chilled
170 g / 3 large eggs
106 g / ½ packed cup light brown sugar
99 g / ½ cup granulated sugar
5 g / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
439 g / 2 cups canned pumpkin puree
6 g / 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 g / 1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 g / ½ teaspoon ground cloves
> 1 g / ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 g / ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
226 g / 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
granulated sugar, as needed for finishing
Bake This Recipe with Me:
METHOD
1. Line the skillet: on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle about 1/4 inch / 6 mm thick. To transfer the dough to the skillet, gently roll it up, wrapping it around the rolling pin, then unfurl it into an 8 ½ inch / 22 cm.
2. Use scissors to trim away the excess dough, leaving about ½ inch / 1 cm excess all the way around the outside edge of the skillet. Tuck this excess dough under, pressing gently to make it flush with the edge of the skillet. Crimp the crust as desired (or, leave it as is).
3. Par-bake the crust: dock the crimped single crust pie dough with a fork and chill well, at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour.
4. Towards the end of chill time, preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C with an oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
5. Cut a square of parchment paper slightly larger than the diameter of a skillet, crumple it up, then place it into the base of the skillet, on top of the crust. Fill with pie weights to the top inner rim of the pie plate.
6. Bake until the edges begin to lightly brown, 15-17 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights, and return to the oven until the lower portion of the crust appears dry and set, 2-3 minutes more. Cool completely before filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F / 190°C.
7. Make the filling: in a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla together until well combined. Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and whisk until well combined. Add the mascarpone and whisk well to combine.
8. Pour the filling into the cooled par-baked crust.
9. Bake the pie: transfer to the oven and bake until the custard appears set around the edges (it may still be a bit jiggly in the center—that’s OK), 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (and up to 24 hours) before serving.
10. When ready to serve, brulee the surface of the pie. Sprinkle an even layer of sugar over the surface of the pie. Brûlée the sugar with a kitchen torch until evenly melted and caramelized. Let the pie sit for 5 minutes to let the sugar cool slightly before slicing and serving.
NOTE:
It’s important to do the brulee topping only just before serving - as it sits, the sugar can begin to melt with extended hold time.
To learn more about par-baking - check out this video!
✻ HAVE YOU BAKED IT?
Tag @emcdowell on Instagram or use #happybaking. I’d love to see your bakes!
