Sugar & Spice Pumpkin Pie with Brandied Ginger Cream

Crust:
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
10 T. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling:
15-oz can pumpkin
2 lg. eggs
1 lg egg yolk
1 c. heavy cream
1 T. brandy
3/4 c. lightly packed light brown sugar
1 t. ground ginger
1 tsp. freshly ground cinnamon stick (or 1 1/2 t. pre-ground cinnamon)
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper
Pinch freshly ground cloves (or 1/8 t. pre-ground cloves)

Cream:
1 c. heavy cream
2 T. packed light brown sugar
1 t. ground ginger
1 t. brandy


Crust:

In a small bowl, stir the salt into 1/3 c. very cold water until dissolved. Put the flour in a food processor and scatter the butter on top. Pulse until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is in pieces the size of peas, about 8 pulses. Add the salt water and pulse until the dough begins to come together in large clumps, about 7 pulses--you'll still see some butter pieces. Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle 16 inches in diameter and 1/8" thick. Transfer to a 9-inch ceramic, metal, or glass pie plate, easing the dough into the bottom and sides and then gently pressing into place. For a traditional crimped edge, trim the overhanging dough to 1/2 inch from the edge of the plate. Fold the overhand under and crimp decoratively. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight, or freeze for up to 2 weeks.

Blind-bake crust:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the over to 400 degree. Line the chilled pie shell with parchment and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until the sides have just set and look dry, 16 to 20 minutes (lift the parchment to check). remove the weights and parchment and bake until the edges are light golden and the bottom is pale and completely dry, about 5 minutes. If the dough starts to bubble while baking, gently push the bubbles down with the back of a spoon. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Make the filling and bake the pie:

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkins, eggs, egg yolk, cream and brandy. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon salt, nutmeg, pepper, and cloves. Whisk the sugar mixture into the pumpkin mixture.

Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust. Bake until the pie is set around the outside but still slightly wet and jiggly in the center, about 1 hour. The filling will continue to set about 1 hour. The filling will continue to set as it cools. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to2 days before serving.

Make the cream just before serving:

Whip the cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it forms very soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, ginger, and brandy and continue whipping until it forms medium-firm peaks, about 30 seconds longer.

Note:

*You can make and freeze the crust up to 2 weeks ahead. The pie may be filled and baked up to 2 days ahead.

*I did not try the crust or the whipped cream yet. I am definitely going to try the crust though. I wonder if baking it somewhat before will help it not go so soggy.