Follow our recommendations for the perfect pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving!
Keep your dough as chilled as possible
Warm dough becomes oily and unmanageable, so be sure to keep hands and surfaces cool and the temperature down in the kitchen when working with pastry. Allow your pastry to chill in the fridge after combining all the ingredients together.
Calibrate your oven temperature
An oven thermometer is your best friend where precise baking is concerned. Check your oven is operating at the correct temperature with an inexpensive oven thermometer.
Don’t use fresh pumpkin
Aside from being a handful to cut up, fresh pumpkin is watery and difficult to bake with as the water content is so high. We recommend using canned pumpkin purée as this gives a much smoother, firmer filling with just the right amount of wobble. Trust the 1950s homemaker – canned is best when it comes to pumpkin pie!
Partially blind bake your pie crust
We recommend this in our recipe. This gives your pastry a head-start in the oven and stops it from becoming soggy when the filling goes in. Blind baking also sets the shape of your pastry and keeps it neat.
Work quickly
Overworking dough can lead to a tougher pie crust. Food processors make light work of combining together your dough ingredients and can save time (although a little more washing up is required) and they have the added benefit of cool blades and speedy mixing.
Egg wash any exposed areas of crust
Before baking you’ll want to whisk up an egg, adding a splash of milk if you wish, to make your egg wash. Apply this to any exposed areas of pie crust before it goes in the oven. Use a pastry brush to apply, silicone brushes are handy as they don’t lose bristles.
Decorate with pastry
Use leftover pastry ends to roll out and cut out shapes or strips to give your pie the wow factor (either with cookie cutters or go freestyle with a small knife). Don’t forget a little dab of egg wash before baking. A sprinkle of brown sugar can add texture too to pastry decorations.
Wait for the wobble
Pumpkin pie should have a slight wobble in the middle before taking it out of the oven and cooling. Once the wobble is gone, it means the filling has been overbaked and it is much more likely to crack when cooling.
Serve like a true American baker
A spoonful of whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon is the classic way to serve your pumpkin pie. Let it cool for several hours before serving for a clean cut and to allow the filling to set.
Fancy a slice of Pumpkin Pie?
Order our classic Pumpkin Pie here.
For our Pumpkin Pie recipe, order your copy of The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook here.