Crustless Brown-Sugar Pumpkin Pie
Iain Bagwell
So you forgot to make (or buy) pie crust. Never mind—you don’t really need one when you have a fantastic filling. (And anyway, the crust is often soggy on a moist pie like pumpkin.) Angela Pinkerton, pastry chef at San Francisco’s Theorita, gave us this delicate dessert—with toasted pecans for crunch, instead of a crust. Use the maximum sugar and spices if you like a bolder, sweeter pie.
How to Make It
1
Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk spices and salt in a small bowl. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise, then scrape out seeds; add them to a large bowl. (Bury vanilla pod in sugar for future baking, if you like.) To seeds, add pumpkin, eggs, and sugar and whisk to blend, using a sideways stirring motion so as not to beat in air (pie will be smoother). Whisk in spice mix, then whisk in cream and crème fraîche. Strain into another bowl.
2
Pour custard into a 10-in. quiche pan or a 9-in. pie pan. Bake 15 minutes, then lower heat to 350° (325° if pan is glass) and bake until center is almost set, 15 to 20 minutes.
3
Cool on a rack 2 hours, then sprinkle with pecans. Serve with a spoon and dollop with whipped cream if you like.
MAKE AHEAD: Up to 2 days, chilled.
Ingredients
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp kosher salt
½ vanilla bean
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin purée
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
⅔ cup whipping cream
¼ cup crème fraîche
Chopped toasted pecans
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk spices and salt in a small bowl. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise, then scrape out seeds; add them to a large bowl. (Bury vanilla pod in sugar for future baking, if you like.) To seeds, add pumpkin, eggs, and sugar and whisk to blend, using a sideways stirring motion so as not to beat in air (pie will be smoother). Whisk in spice mix, then whisk in cream and crème fraîche. Strain into another bowl.
2
Pour custard into a 10-in. quiche pan or a 9-in. pie pan. Bake 15 minutes, then lower heat to 350° (325° if pan is glass) and bake until center is almost set, 15 to 20 minutes.
3
Cool on a rack 2 hours, then sprinkle with pecans. Serve with a spoon and dollop with whipped cream if you like.
MAKE AHEAD: Up to 2 days, chilled.
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