Pie is the best. Anyone who tells you otherwise either doesn't have a clue what they're talking about or has never known the serendipitous moment when your fork breaks through a tender, flaky crust and then into a sometimes sweet, sometimes tart fruit filling. If you're lucky, it's topped with a dollop of whipped cream or 'à la mode' with ice cream. It really is the perfect dessert. A piece of pie may seem humble, but it doesn't have to be boring. With the fall season in full swing, I've decided to demonstrate how I make my pumpkin pie and how I dress it up in more ways than one (wink, wink). I serve mine up with maple cream cheese frosting and cut out leaves from leftover pie pastry. I also take it one step further with a feature that I like to call "Dressed Up: Déssert à la mode" where I combine my love of food and fashion. I pair one of my many food themed dresses with one of my creations for a cheeky twist. Welcome to my blog!
Here's the recipe:
yields 1, 9 inch pie

  • 2 eggs
  • 15 oz pumpkin purée (canned or homemade)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If you choose to make homemade pumpkin purée, cut your pumpkin in half, remove the pulp and seeds and place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for about 40 minutes or until flesh is tender. Scoop the pumpkin flesh out into a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Whisk together all of the ingredients until homogenous. Pout into a prepared and chilled pie crust. Bake for 45 minutes or until center of filling is set. If you notice that the edges of the pie crust are browning too quickly, you can gently cover them with aluminum foil to protect them from over browning. Once pie is baked, transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving. You can serve it simply or with ice cream, whipped cream or maple cream cheese frosting, as pictured.