Thanksgiving SOS: The Ultimate Pumpkin Pie

What is Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie?  I don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't love eating pumpkin pie after their Thanksgiving meal.  However, it can look monochromatic and quite plain next to the fabulous golden turkey and colorful side dishes.  Also, almost everyone I know immediately searches for the whipped cream can when they are given pumpkin pie.  Instead of making your guests wait for their turn with the whipped cream can, why not serve the pie with fresh whipped cream on top?  Why not make your pie a little more special this year?  I've spruced my pie up a bit this year with a thick layer of whipped cream and caramelized pecans.  I think the couple of extra touches makes it look much more appetizing and more memorable.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm going to describe to you how to make everything from scratch.  Though, if the holiday stress is getting to you, you can always purchase pumpkin pie, whipped cream, and candied pecans separately and assemble them per the easy instructions at the bottom of this post.  People will still think you put some extra effort into the pie because it looks like it is more than just a plain pumpkin pie.  If you aren't sure your guests are allergic to nuts, you can simply sprinkle pumpkin pie spice around the edge.  It will still look beautiful.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Pie

• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 frozen pie crust

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 

Caramelized Pecans

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Directions

I recommend that you make the pumpkin pie first, then caramelized pecans, and finally the whipped cream.  The pumpkin pie and the caramelized pecans need plenty of time to cool before you assemble them with the cold whipped cream.


Pumpkin Pie

1. Preheat oven to 425 degF.

2. Beat eggs in large bowl.  Add pumpkin puree, sugar, and spices.  Slowly stir in evaporated milk.

3. Place a frozen pie crust onto a cookie sheet.  Pour mixture into a frozen pie crust.
More than once, I've spilled pumpkin pie filling onto the bottom of my oven. The liquid pie filling almost reaches the top of the pie crust, so if you aren't graceful it's easy to spill a bit.  The sure way to prevent a spill is by placing the frozen pie crust onto a cookie sheet before you pour the filling into it.  The cookie sheet will prevent the malleable aluminum form around a store-bought frozen pie crust form from bending and creating a spill.  Furthermore, if some pie filling does happen to spill out of the crust, it will land on the cookie sheet, which is much easier to clean than the bottom of your oven.

4. Bake pie at 425 degF for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degF.  Continue baking for 40 minutes.

At that time, test that your pie is done by sticking a knife into the center and pulling it straight out.  If it comes out clean, the pie is ready.  If some filling stays on the knife, cook for another 5 minutes and test it again.  Don't worry about cutting into the center of your pie.  We are going to cover it up with whipped cream!

5. Cool pie on a wire cooling rack for at least 1 hour.

Caramelized Pecans

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.

2.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

3.  Pour caramelized pecans on a sheet of aluminum foil to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Whipped Cream

1.  Place your bowl and beaters into the freezer to chill for 10-15 minutes.  This step isn't required, but I like to do this step because it allows your bowl and beaters to reach the temperature of the whipping cream.  If your bowl and beaters are warm, it will warm up the whipping cream and make it harder for you to achieve perfectly whipped cream.

2. Pour sugar and vanilla into a large metal bowl.

3. Begin beating the sugar with an electric mixer on a medium speed and slowly add heavy whipping cream.

4.  Continue beating cream on a medium speed until stiff peaks form (about 2 minutes).

You can test that your whipped cream has "stiff peaks" by dipping a spoon into the whipped cream and pulling it straight out.  If the whipped cream stays in a peak after you remove your spoon, you have a stiff peak and your cream is done.  If your whipped cream sinks back down when you remove your spoon, you need to continue beating for a few more seconds and try again.

Remember to refrigerate the whipped cream until you are ready use it.  It will store well in the refrigerator for a couple days.  Just whisk it for a few seconds when you take it out of the refrigerator and it will look fresh.

Assembly

Assemble your ultimate pumpkin pie by taking a cooled plain pumpkin pie and smoothing a thick layer (about 1/2 inch) of whipped cream on top.  Unless your guests are going to devour the entire pie when you serve it, I recommend using a cooled pumpkin pie to ensure that the whipped cream doesn't melt.  Then, sprinkle the caramelized pecans around the outer edge for a bit of festive design.

You've just made an ultimate pumpkin pie, and your guests are sure to be impressed!  Enjoy!