Pumpkin Pie: The Classic Thanksgiving Pumpkin Tart Recipe

The History of Pumpkin Pie

• Pumpkin pie has been part of America’s story since the earliest days. The recipe came from the first colonists who arrived in New England in the early 1600s. Native American tribes living on the East Coast grew pumpkins as a staple crop, and they introduced this vegetable to the settlers.
• Historians agree that the first written mention of a pumpkin pie recipe appears in a book published in 1651 by French chef François Pierre la Varenne, who called it “tourte à la citrouille.”
• Today, pumpkin pie is a cornerstone of American baking and you’ll find it easily in New York restaurants. It’s the star of Thanksgiving and also appears on Christmas tables.
• Here’s a fun fact: the world’s largest pumpkin pie was made in 2010 in New Bremen, Ohio, during the New Bremen Pumpkinfest. It measured over 6 m (20 ft) across and weighed 1,681 kg (3,704 lb). That’s a record to beat!

Ingredients for 6 servings

For the crust

• 250 g (8.8 oz) flour
• 60 g (2.1 oz) sugar
• 125 g (4.4 oz) butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or make your own blend with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• 5 g salt
• 50 ml (3.4 tablespoons) water

For the filling

• 500 g (17.6 oz) pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs
• 250 ml (1 cup) warm milk (79–86°F)
• 100 g (3.5 oz) dark brown sugar
• 50 g (1.8 oz) granulated sugar
• 15 g cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice. You can also make your own blend: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, a good pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves
• 1 pinch of salt
• Whipped cream for decoration

Recipe Steps

Making the crust

• 1/ Mix the flour, spices and salt together.
• 2/ Add the butter gradually, rubbing it in quickly with your fingertips. Tip: take the butter out of the refrigerator well ahead of time so it’s soft and easy to work with. Take your time to break it down thoroughly with your fingers until it’s fully incorporated.
• 3/ Roll the dough between the palms of your hands.
• 4/ Add the water and egg yolk, continuing to roll the dough between your palms.
• 5/ Form the dough into a ball and flatten it several times with the palm of your hand.
• 6/ Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on parchment paper, then transfer it to a 24 cm (9.4 in) pie pan.
• 7/ Prick the bottom with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes. While you wait, you can prepare the filling.

Making the filling

• 1/ Cut the pumpkin into pieces and steam until tender.
• 2/ Blend the pumpkin pieces into a smooth puree.
• 3/ Add the spices, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt.
• 4/ Whisk the eggs, then add the milk. Gently fold the eggs and milk into the pumpkin mixture.
• 5/ Pour the filling over the crust.
• 6/ Bake at 230°C (446°F) for 5 minutes.
• 7/ Lower the temperature to 180°C (356°F) and bake for another 30 minutes.
• 8/ Your pie is ready! Serve it decorated with homemade whipped cream. Enjoy!

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