It's finally fall. The days are getting colder and shorter. The moon is looking oranger, and to celebrate it all a pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin! What better way to thank the earth for all it's given than to make something sweet straight from the earth, unlike the unidentifiable moosh in a can.
Let me start off by talking a bit about fall, since it is my favorite season. :) When fall rolls around a lot of things start happening. Leaves start to change colours and fall off of trees, summer fruits and vegetables begin refusing to grow, and last but not least what to carve into a pumpkin starts taking over a little witch's mind. Fall is well known for these things but a lot of the time we focus on feasting and not what's being asked of us by the earth. Any gardener knows that fall is a time to start clearing away what's not needed and cutting back plants for winter, hint hint hint! Are you getting the idea? Trees drop their leaves? Plants conserve energy? Gardeners clean out their garden? It's time to cut back things you don't need. Clean up and clean out clutter in both the emotional, spiritual and physical realms. Hm, maybe I should make a post about cleansing. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with feasting and celebrating, it's a great way to show thanks for everything that's been given to you, but remember every time you take you have to get rid of something to make room for it. The idea's a lot like working out to make room for pie or just to maintain your health.
This recipe makes 2 pies!
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 Sugar Pumpkin (You can find these at Trader Joe's)
1 cup of Sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 cups of whipping cream, concentrated milk, or unsweetened original flavor almond milk
Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 oz) cold unsalted buter or 4 oz cold lard cut into 8 pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
This crust is from Baking with Julia and is called Pasta Frolla. I use this pie crust for every pie I make because it's always easy to work with a consistently good. :)
For the filling! :D I do the filling first cause it's easier to clean out of the food processor. Get a trash bowl to get rid of all the extra stuff you're gonna have while steaming the pumpkin, a cutting board to work on, and a bowl to put your finished pumpkin in.
Get a strong serrated knife or a screwdriver, or something flat and skinny cause you're about to do the funnest part. Slide the flat skinny object under the base of the stem. Yell "Four!" and pry it off! Now chase after it! See? I told you it was fun. :) Cut your pumpkin with a serrated knife straight down the middle now that the stem is out of the way. Scoop out the insides and put them in your trash bowl or clean your seeds off and make toasted pumpkin seeds if you like that kind of stuff. :P Now, cut your pumpkin halves in half, now do it again. Do you have six pumpkin pieces? Goooooood. I like the number six.
Now you have to make a decision. There are three ways to soften the flesh, steaming by stove top, steaming by microwave, and baking wrapped in foil. I've tried all three and I steaming by stove top always comes out better for me so if you want to do it one of the other ways look it up on line but at least here me when I say baking takes the longest. :/ So set up your steamer basket on your pot and get a lid. Fill your pot up with water but don't let it touch your steaming basket or you'll be boiling part of your pumpkin. Set your pumpkin in there, turn on the heat, and place the lid on top. This is gonna take 30 minutes almost to the T so don't try to rush it. When you check your pumpkin you'll notice two colours, a lighter orange in the center and darker orange around the edges. Even if you can fork your pumpkin and it's soft just wait till it's all a dark orange.
Let the pumpkins cool for... well until they're not gonna burn you lol. Use a spoon to separate the skin from the flesh, oh wow, I never realized just how creepy that sounds. You can use a potato masher/ fork, or a food processor and while a potato masher would probably be easier if you have the time I don't so I use to food processor. Place the pumpkin pieces in the food processor until they form chunks that refuse to move anymore. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Slowly add the sugar to the pumpkin while the food processor is running. You see if you add one of the liquids air will form and you'll get something more like pumpkin moose pie instead of old fashioned pumpkin pie. All you need is something that moves more easily in the food processor. Sugar works well cause the sugar is fine enough to be flung around and draw the liquid out of the pumpkin. As you add the sugar you'll see what I mean, it's pretty fun to watch. :) Add the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt.
Transfer the pumpkin moosh to a bowl and add 4 beaten eggs making sure to mix well. Add milk slowly, I usually do it 1 cup at a time. The filling should be thick so don't add enough milk to make it runny.
Pie shell:
Clean and thoroughly dry the food processor. Add all dry ingredients and blend till well incorporated. Next add either your cold butter or cold shortening. I suggest adding 4 Tbsp of butter and 4 Tbsp shortening/lard. Blend until it looks like superfine bread crumbs. Add the eggs and blend until a ball of dough forms. If no ball of dough forms add cold water 1/2 a Tbsp at a time.
Flour your surface and roll half of the dough out super thin, like crepe thin or tortilla thin and save the other half. Roll the crust onto your rolling pin and unroll it into your pie pan. Do the same thing with the second pie crust into a new pie dish!
The whole shabam:
If your oven has reached 400 degrees pour your batter into your pie shells. Carefully cover the edges of your crust with foil because the crust will cook faster than your filling. It should take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it stops jiggling and the filling looks firm.
Enjoy your pie!
For Magickal Purposes:
Pumpkin pie, in my experience, brings people together. It opens and warms hearts while reminding us of the approaching cold weather when others will need us. Pumpkins are like the epitome of making the most of what you have. They provide so much and can be used in so many ways. Pumpkins remind me of the old days when people were thankful for who and what they had in their lives and pumpkin pie, with all it's sweetness, encourages gratefulness straight from the heart. Give thanks for everything that's come your way and help others see the fortune of their circumstance.
Pumpkins: Earth, fire, hard work, family, change, belives, strong bonds
Eggs: Sun, hidden agendas/ secrets, hardiness, family
Almond Milk: Springtime, water, simple joy, friends
Whipping/ Heavy Cream: euphoria, simple joys, neediness
Butter: Smoothing, whether it be smoothing over uncertainties, plans, or arguments butter'll do it. Bringing together, tolerance.
Shortening: Combining, uneasiness, opposition
No comments:
Post a Comment