Pumpkin Pie

The week of Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. The anticipation of the delicious meal that hours of time have been devoted to. The smells of cinnamon, turkey and toasting marshmallows dancing in the air. Uncle Jim's marinated vegetables, Grandma's stuffing, Great-Grandma's Macintosh apples, olives on our fingers...  Playing games while enjoying Aunt Wanda's fruit pies and Mom's pumpkin pie with coffee. Waking up in the morning to hurry and have another piece of pie...

Those are my favorite memories - and I almost forgot - watching the Macy's parade with my sister while still in our pajamas. And the next day it was Christmas records and cookie baking. I can't wait to share these same traditions with Lottie. It's what being a kid, a mom, and a family is all about!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share my favorite pumpkin pie recipe. Well, second favorite, you can never out-do my mom's pumpkin pie, but it's a secret family recipe. Well a secret of our family and Libby...

Last week my grandparents shared with me a bag of black walnuts that they harvested from their own trees and I have them sitting on a throne in my kitchen, awaiting their crown. I can't wait to use them to bake Great-Grandma's Black Walnut Cake which I will also share with you. I've been hoping to have baked it everyday since I recieved the little nuggets of heaven but I haven't yet found the moment...

Back to Thanksgiving...

Bruleed Pumpkin Pie

Pastry for a single crust pie

1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup raw sugar

Roll pastry into a 9-in. pie pan and blind bake using pie weights or beans. Cool on a rack.
   In a large saucepan, heat the cream, milk, salt and spices until bubbles form around sides of pan. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar. Remove cream mixture from the heat and gradually stir a ladle full into the egg yolks. Gradually stir the tempered mixture back into the pan. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla. Pour into crust.
   Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until center is just set and still jiggles slightly. Cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle top with raw sugar. Heat sugar with a torch until caramelized.

8 servings.