14th October – dessert day
Dessert day can be anything you want it to be. Perhaps you would love the excuse to enjoy dessert for breakfast, lunch AND dinner? Or you'd just like a cheeky extra helping after supper. Whatever dessert you fancy, today is a great reason to enjoy all the sweet treats you like!
As we're in the autumnal mood, the dessert we decided to make is a traditional pumpkin pie with a cheeky twist. Our American-style pumpkin pie recipe includes the option of adding a rather decadent meringue topping.
Making the pumpkin pie
Ingredients:
- 750g pumpkin puree
- 350g sweet shortcrust pastry
- plain flour, for dusting
- 140g brown sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 25g butter, melted
- 175ml evaporated milk
- Icing sugar (for dusting)
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
2) Roll out the shortcrust pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Line a 22cm tart tin with the pastry, using a knife to trim off any excess pastry from the edges.
3) Place the tin into the fridge and chill for 15 mins.
4) After 15 minutes has passed, line the pastry with backing parchment and place baking beans inside the paper liner. Bake for 15 mins.
5) Remove the beans and paper, and cook the pie pastry for a further 10 mins until the base is pale golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
6) Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
7) In a mixing bowl, add the sugar, salt and half the cinnamon. Mix together until smooth. Add the beaten eggs, butter and evaporated milk, then mix again until all of the ingredients are combined. Add the pumpkin puree to the mixture, mix well.
8) Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pastry base and cook for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Continue to bake for 35-40 mins until the filling has just set.
9) Check that the pie has cooked properly with a knife; if it comes out clean then your pie is cooked.
10) Leave the pie to cool. Once cool, remove the pie from the tin.
11) Mix the remaining cinnamon with icing sugar and dust over the pie.
Serve chilled.
Want to add an extra something to take this pie to the next level? Try adding a meringue topping below.... you can thank us later ;-)
Making the meringue topping
Ingredients:
- 2 large egg whites (room temperature)
- Pinch of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 4 tablespoons sugar (preferably superfine)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
2) In a large mixing bowl, add the egg whites with a pinch of salt and beat until they are frothy.
3) Add the cream of tartar. Continue to beat, if you're using a mixer switch the speed to medium for this. Continue to beat the mixture until it turns fluffy and has large bubbles around the edges of the bowl.
4) Continue beating the mixture and carefully add the sugar a bit at a time to the bowl ensuring that each bit is mixed in completely before adding more.
5) Next, add the vanilla extract and continue beating until the mixture thickens and it forms stiff peaks when you lift the beater.
6) Pipe, spoon or dollop the meringue onto the pumpkin pie. It can be as perfect or imperfect as you like!
7) Bake in the oven for around 12 minutes.
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