Ingredients
COLD AND CREAMY PUMPKIN PIE
CRUST:
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 sticks salted cold butter, thinly sliced
¼ cup cold caramel vodka
¼ cup cold water
½ teaspoons vanilla
¼ teaspoon caramel flavoring
PUMPKIN FILLING:
1 can pumpkin (15 oz.), divided
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ginger
2 eggs, large or extra large, separated
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons salted butter
PUMPKIN CREAM TOPPING:
1/3 cup reserved pumpkin
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoons nutmeg
1 cup whipping cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered low fat milk
½ teaspoons cream of tarter
OPTIONAL TRIM:
1 egg white with 1 teaspoon water, Demerara sugar, orange sanding sugar, orange disco dust, cinnamon
Directions
CRUST DIRECTIONS:
Blend flour sugar and crust spices. Add butter and cut with pastry blender or food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine the water, vodka and flavorings and gradually add liquid to flour mixture and stir with a fork until moist clumps form. (All liquid may not be used.). Gather dough and divide into ¾ and ¼ size sections and press each into flat disc. Place. In plastic bag and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger chilled dough to fit deep 9 or 10inch pie plate. Place crust into pan and flute edge or cut our leaf shapes. Brush surface of crust and edges with the egg white-water mixture; sprinkle Demerara sugar on the leaves if choose to trim with these. Set in refrigerator while preparing filling.
FILLING:
Measure 1/3 cup from the canned pumpkin and set aside for topping. Combine the remaining Pumpkin in large mixing bowl with the egg yolks, brown sugar, seasonings, salt, flour and vanilla. Blend until well mixed. Measure the milk in a 4 cup glass measuring cup and add the 2 tablespoons. Butter and heat in microwave on high. For 2 minutes until the milk is scalded and butter melted. Blend milk mixture into the pumpkin mixture. In a small mixing bowl of electric mixer, beat egg whites until fluffy to somewhat stiff. Fold into pumpkin mixture. Pour mixture into pie shell. Solace foil strip around the pie edge to prevent over-browning. Place on low rack of pre-heated 400 degree oven and bake 10 minutes; then reduce temperature to 34o degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Test for toothpick for doneness, not to come out coated with filling. Remove from oven to cool to slightly warm and then chill in refrigerator until topping and serving.
OPTIONAL TRIM: Roll out remaining dough an d cut with pumpkin shaped pastry cutter. Brush with egg white slightly whipped with water, sprinkle with orange sugar and touch stem with cinnamon. Place on cookie sheet and bake in 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden brown on the bottoms. Remove to wire rack to cool.
TOPPING: In a medium mixing bowl, beat soft cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add reserved pumpkin, ¼ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and blend until mixed. In separate bowl, whit the cream with 1 tablespoons powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon cream of tarter, the powdered milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture. Place in large pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe topping. On the chilled pie or just spoon on and swirl as one would for a meringue. Place pumpkin cut-outs on and sprinkle lightly with orange disco dust, if desired. Chill until serving.