Pumpkin Pie Recipe {Caramel}



Thanksgiving is only 15 days away and it's time to think about everything we are thankful for and yummy treats!

When I think about Thanksgiving, I think about...thanks, family, life, love,cranberry sauce, candied marshmallow sweet potatoes, homemade applesauce, candy carrots, pecan pie and pumpkin pie!


I love using organic sweet pumpkins for my pumpkin pies, although this year I was in a pinch and didn't have time.

It's easy to use a whole sweet pumpkin/small pumpkin.  Just split in half, gut, and slather with olive oil.  Bake cut-side down at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or until tender, and let cool.  Scoop the meat into a bowl, using a immersion blender or regular blender, blend until smooth.  Drape a cheese cloth over a bowl and pour pumpkin mixture into the cloth, drain over night. Discard the excess water and that's it!

Absolutely easy, unless you don't have time to wait overnight (like I didn't) then canned is just fine.


This pie was different then my normal pumpkin pies.  I had leftover caramel from my Salted Caramel Swirled Brownies  and decided throw some of it in the pie batter. I was slightly skeptical about how it would turn out, since pumpkin pie alone is pretty spectacular.  The caramel could either take over the pumpkin taste or compliment it...

It turned out wonderful!  A traditional yet complicated taste...you'll love it!!


Caramel Pumpkin Pie
Recipe Adapted by Epicurean Mom

Serves 6-8


Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
10 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3-1/4 cup ice cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the flour, butter, salt and sugar into a food processor. Process until mealy.  While the food processor is running add the cold water until dough just comes together. If dough becomes too wet, add  some more flour.

Lay plastic wrap on a flat surface and place dough on top.   Roll dough out the larger dough ball into a 9-inch circle and lay into a pie pan. Lightly press the dough into the pan, trim the edges and crimp the edges.  Place parchment paper over dough and fill with pie weights, and par-bake for around 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and place parchment and pie weights aside.


Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can pumpkin, about 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1/8 teaspoon clove, ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup homemade caramel  (store bought would work too)
1/2 cup half &  half
2 eggs

Preparation:
In a medium bowl beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer (or a standing mixer), until creamy.  Add the mashed pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, and beat until well incorporated.

Bring the caramel to room temp and mix into pumpkin mixture, stirring until no caramel chunks remain.

Beat the half & half and eggs together, until well combined.  Slowly add the egg mixture to the caramel pumpkin mixture, and stir until well incorporated.

Pour into the prepared pie crust and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until just set (toothpick inserted in the middle comes out slightly clean)

Let cool completely before serving.

15 comments:

  1. This sounds amazing! I love pumpkin and might have to make this soon!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Interesting idea to add caramel to a pumpkin pie. I'll bet it was fabulous! Way to be creative. Waste not want not :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love your idea of adding the caramel in to the pie. I will be baking pies for Thanksgiving so I think I am going to give that a try! Its sounds delicious! I love the leaf crust too! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a gorgeous pumpkin pie and I just adore your crust! Love the addition of the caramel, sounds amazing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love the leaf-crust boarder on the pie! My first thought was that the caramel would be amazing with the pumpkin, glad you confirmed it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This looks and sounds heavenly. Plus, the little leaf border on your pie crust is just adorable, and really dresses the pie up!! Such a good idea.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love this! Still traditional, but with a scrumptious twist

    ReplyDelete
  8. Caramel and pumpkin! Delicious! I love that you made your own crust. :)

    I'm hosting a squash blog hop this month. Come and share your recipe: http://bakerstreet.tv/2011/11/pumpkin-swirl-chocolate-brownies/

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your leafy crust is very creative. Caramel and pumpkin are such complimentary flavors and to marry them in a pie is just genius!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yum yum! This pie looks so beautiful and the caramel is just such a wonderful idea. Nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  11. This pie is just beautiful! Such great work. I love the addition of caramel with the pumpkin. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Mmmm - guess what? I made this for Thanksgiving and it was one of the pies that was completely gone before the day was over!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have made the same pumpkin pie year after year by request but this year I went rogue and decided to make this recipe. I made three pies and they were all gone! I had everyone begging me for the recipe and commenting how it will be impossible to eat Pumpkin Pie after having this! Kudos to you!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Amy! Wonderful, thanks!! I'm SO glad everyone liked it! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello!

    I have never tried pumpkin pie before but as an exchange student living in Japan, I made some American friends and we had a Thanksgiving party, and I was to make the dessert. I tried your recipe using kabochas, a Japanese squash easy to find and really cheap (combined with another recipe for the crust, it's too difficult to make a proper pie dough in a student's kitchen!). All my friends loved it, and some even told me it was the best pumpkin pie they ever had in their lives! I was so relieved and happy because I didn't know how it should taste like.

    So thank you so much for sharing your recipe!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
 

© Epicurean Mom. All Rights Reserved. | Blog Design By Penny Lane Designs