More From Yesterday

Boy, I need a crash course in photography.

Some more photos from yesterday:

Chorizo Goat Cheese Dip
Chorizo Goat Cheese Dip
Bean Prep
Bean Prep
(Paleo) Squash Soup with Clams and Bacon
(Paleo) Squash Soup with Clams and Bacon
Beans!
Beans!
Kristen's Plate
Kristen’s Plate

Anyhow, as not to overwhelm anyone with too many recipes in one post, today we are going to discuss the Pumpkin Pie.  I thought it was a success (some in the group thought that it was superior to traditional pumpkin pie), but Mike didn’t like the texture of the crust.

As I mentioned the other day, I had some idea of where I wanted to go with this pie and how I wanted to get there.

Let’s start with the filling: I had a feeling that the dairy component of traditional pie could easily be subbed out with full-fat coconut milk (I was right), and that the brown sugar could be swapped for maple syrup.  Since the sugar component for the pie is a liquid, I compensated by adding less coconut milk than I might have if I had added a crystallized sugar. I kept the spices well within the range of “normal”, whisked a couple of eggs in, and used homemade pumpkin puree that we had hanging around in the chest freezer. (Man, this chest freezer of mine sure does get a lot of action!).  The raw filling (yeah, I ate a little raw egg.  I’m still with the living) tasted perfect- in fact, I could not taste the coconut milk at all.  I’m not sure I would have minded if I did- but my goal was to create a pie that does not call attention to itself with being “different”.

The crust:  This may be a work in progress for the actual pie for Thanksgiving- but I am going to share this with all of you anyhow-  since I liked it.  There are a solid number of non-grain flours out there these days- various nut flours, coconut flour, etc-  I decided to go with almond flour. Unlike traditional pie or tart dough, where butter is cut into the flour (and smeared between your fingertips to create uber flaky layers)- and typically no binder is used (my pate brise contains no eggs) the dough for this crust more closely resembles a cookie.  I used an egg to bind the almond flour together, added a touch of salt, and for added sweetness- and because by golly I like my crusts to taste AWESOME- a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup.  I always add a little more sugar to my pie crusts because I like mine to be more like a shortbread cookie than cardboard flavored filling holder.

Photo courtesy of Kristen, willing test subject
Photo courtesy of Kristen, willing test subject

What I loved:

The filling was really perfect.  Creamy, just sweet enough.  This doesn’t necessarily pertain to the recipe, but I used my 10″ square tart pan for this pie and it sliced into squares really beautifully.  This is going to be especially useful for Thanksgiving when everyone wants a little bite of each thing.

The crust held together like a champ.  I was nervous that it might be too crumbly- but the egg did its job and in fact you could hold an edge piece with your hands and eat it like a bar cookie.  Score!

What others thought:  Kristen, dear friend and test subject also loved the creamy filling and was a bit fan of the nutty crust.  Mike didn’t like the grainy texture of the crust and was looking for a more traditional mouthfeel.  The cats were neutral, except on the subject of whipped cream.  They love fatty dairy products (as do I).

(Paleo) Pumpkin Pie
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 9
 
Ingredients
Crust:
  • 2½ Cups Almond Flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2-3 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 3 Tbsp Coconut oil, mostly melted
Filling:
  • 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling)- homemade or canned.
  • 1 Small Can (5.5 oz) Coconut Milk - full fat. I used Thai Kitchen
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
  • 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 Tsp Ground Ginger
  • ⅛ Tsp Ground Cloves
  • Pinch of Salt
Instructions
First, prep the crust.
  1. Combine almond flour, maple syrup, egg, and coconut oil in a medium bowl. Using a fork (or your hands) mix until all of the ingredients have formed a cohesive mass. If it feels too wet, add a touch more flour. The texture of my dough was slightly sticky, but it held together nicely.
  2. Grease your pan! As I mentioned, I used my tart pan, but this would fit nicely into an 8" pie pan.
  3. Press the dough into the pan, making sure that the crust is even and that there are no holes for filling to leak out.
  4. Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling. It is going to help it become crispy!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
The Filling:
  1. Whisk together the pumpkin and coconut milk. If your coconut milk has tons of solids that won't combine, zap the mixture in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to melt the fat in the coconut milk.
  2. Whisk in the eggs, add the maple syrup, and all of the spices.
  3. Pour the filling into the crust and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes (depending on your oven) or until the filling has set in the center.
Tip: I always place my pies onto a baking sheet before putting them in the oven. I am not a fan of pie dripping on to the element of my oven. Just saying.

 

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