Pumpkin Pie for the Holidays

Emma Cain | November 9, 2020

Ingredients

¼ c unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces, divided

¼ c unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces, divided

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup ice water

1 – 15 oz pumpkin puree

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp. ground allspice

½ tsp. sea salt

¾ c sugar

1 – 12 oz can of evaporated milk

2 eggs, beaten

Directions

Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a mixer. Add refrigerated butter, and pulse to combine. Add frozen butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some blueberry-size clumps.

Add ice water, and immediately pulse until water is just incorporated. Squeeze a small amount of dough to make sure it holds together. Pulse a few more times if needed.

Wrap press into disks, and freeze.

Dough can be frozen up to 1 month.

Preheat oven to 400˙F.

Let dough thaw until it is just malleable. Roll dough out on floured surface to a ¼ inch thick or thinner depending on preference. Place mini tart pans over the dough and cut two inches around the pan. Repeat for each tart pan. Mold pieces of dough into each pan, making sure to press the dough into the bottom corners of the pan. Trim excess dough off around the edges using a sharp knife. Use your fingers to fix any imperfections, while still remembering to keep all dough not being used in the freezer to not let the dough get too warm.

Poke holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork. Wrap pie weights or dry beans in parchment or cheese cloth and place in each tart pan to prevent dough from bubbling and shrinking.

Par-bake the tart shells in a 400˚F oven. Bake for 8 minutes or until the crust just starts to brown. Let cool.

Note:
Some large clumps (about the size of small blueberries) should remain after pulsing the butter with the dry ingredients. The finished dough should be mottled with large pieces of butter. The best way to transfer the rolled-out dough to a pie plate is by rolling it over the pin and unfurling it onto the plate.

Preheat oven to 400˙F.

Combine pumpkin puree, spices, and evaporated milk. Beat eggs and mix to combine. Make sure you mix the filling enough so that egg is full incorporated. Place tart shells on a baking sheet. Pour into par-baked mini tart shells.

Note: To prevent spillage, fill the tarts halfway. Place the tarts in the oven and finish filling them in the oven so prevent spilling the filling over the edges of the tart crust.

Bake at 400˙F for 10 minutes, then decrease the temperature to 300 ˙F and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Tarts should be set around the edges with a slight jiggle in the center. Let cool completely.

Serve with whipped cream if desired.