What Could Be Better Than Classic Pumpkin Pie Crème Brûlée Pumpkin Pie Duh Food

CRèME BRULéE PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• First make the pie crust.* Note: this pie crust recipe makes 2 crusts and you only need one, so you can freeze one for later. Or use it to make this Cheesecake Pecan Pie. Do it do it!
• Measure out 1/4 cup water into a glass measuring cup and stick it in the freezer.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
• Use a pastry cutter. Cut until it looks like coarse crumbs. Don't overdo it!
• In a small bowl beat one egg. Pour out half (into the sink or into another container, or heck, into a frying pan). You can just eyeball it. I know this is annoying, but it makes for SUCH a tender crust!
• Add the half beaten egg to the cold water that you put in the freezer. Beat it together, then add it to the butter mixture. Stir until it is just coming together, then use your hands to knead it once or twice (only to make it come together). Divide the dough in half. Shape one half into a disk and put it in a ziplock bag in your freezer for the next time you make this pie.
• Roll out the remaining dough on a well-floured surface. I love to use my pastry cloth.
• Roll the dough loosely on the rolling pin to transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Fold the edges under and crimp/shape the crust however you want. Place the formed crust in the fridge while you make the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 and 1/2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and black pepper.
• Add the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, and cream. Whisk until there are no lumps.
• Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
• Bake at 425 for 12 minutes.
• Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Cover the pie crust with aluminum foil so that it doesn't get too brown. The center of the pie should be uncovered. (see photos)
• Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes. The pie will NOT be set in the middle. When it is done, the outer 2 inches of the pie (closest to the crust) should not move when you shake the pan. Over baking is what makes for a boring pumpkin pie texture, so don't over bake!
• Don't take the pie out! Turn off the oven and open the oven door all the way for at least 5 minutes to let it cool down. If it's annoying to have the oven door open, after 5 minutes shut the oven door but leave it open a crack if possible. Pumpkin pie is a custard, and custard puffs as it cooks. When it cools, it shrinks and pulls to the edges, causing cracks in your pie. We want it to shrink slowly, so no dramatic temperature changes.
• Once the pie has cooled to room temperature, transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2-3 hours, until completely cold.
• When you are ready to serve the pie, evenly sprinkle some of the fine sugar over the top. A thin layer is best. Use a kitchen torch to brulee the top. Make sure you keep the flame moving, don't stay in one spot. The sugar will start to bubble and brown. Do NOT let the flame touch the crust. It will burn instantly.
• If you like, you can sprinkle with more sugar and repeat the torching process. Just like when you're painting a wall, multiple thin layers are better than 1 thick layer. The sugar will become crackly within 1-2 minutes after torching.
• Since you can't get near the crust, you will probably have a ring of sugar around the perimeter of your pie. I used a pastry brush to sweep it toward the center and torch it. Then I wet the brush just a tiny bit and brushed the very edge of the crust so that it wasn't white anymore. You only need to do this if presentation is really important to you.
• You have about 15-20 minutes before the crackles on top of the pie start to go soft. The torching really does have to happen last minute. The good news is that you can always just add more sugar and torch again, as many times as you like. I've been torching each individual leftover slice all week.
• Serve with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon!

PUMPKIN PIE BRûLéE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Fold overhang under and crimp decoratively. Pierce dough all over with fork. Freeze 15 minutes. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until sides are set, about 12 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Whisk pumpkin and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Whisk in eggs, then cream, spices, and salt. Pour filling into warm crust. Bake pie until filling is set in center, about 50 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; cool 30 minutes. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Preheat broiler. Sprinkle pie evenly with 2 tablespoons sugar. Broil until sugar melts and begins to caramelize, turning pie for even browning, about 1 minute. Let pie stand until topping hardens, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle pie again with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Broil again until sugar browns, about 1 minute. Refrigerate pie until topping hardens, about 30 minutes. Serve or keep refrigerated no more than 2 hours longer.

PUMPKIN PIE CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the crackers and pecans until finely ground, 6 to 10 pulses. Add the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Press the mixture into the bottoms and 1/2 inch up the sides of ten 6-ounce ramekins. Put the ramekins in a large baking dish or roasting pan and blind bake in the oven, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
• Make the custard: Combine 2 cups cream, the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Halve the vanilla bean lengthwise; scrape out the seeds with a knife, then add the seeds and pod to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups cream and the milk to the saucepan. Slowly whisk in the yolk mixture, then strain the custard through a sieve back into the bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin.
• Divide the pumpkin mixture among the ramekins. Pour hot water into the baking dish, about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is starting to set but is still a little wiggly in the middle, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven; remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Lightly sprinkle the custard with turbinado sugar. Heat the sugar with a butane torch until caramelized. To get a thicker caramelized sugar crust, repeat, using just a light sprinkling of sugar each time. Let cool.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the crackers and pecans until finely ground, about 6 to 10 (3-second) pulses. Add the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Press into the bottom of a springform pan, baking dish, or 8 (6-ounce) ramekins.

PUMPKIN PIE CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Divide the crust into 8 (6-ounce) custard cups. Put them into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or roasting pan and blind bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
• In a medium sauce pot, over medium-high heat, add 2 cups of the cream, the spices, the vanilla seeds and the vanilla bean pod. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks with the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and the sugar is dissolved.
• Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream and the 1/2 cup of milk to the cream and spice mixture. Slowly incorporate the yolk and sugar mixture, then strain through a medium-size sieve. Whisk in the pumpkin puree.
• Divide the pumpkin mixture evenly into the custard cups lined with the crust.* Add the hot water into the baking dish or roasting pan to create a hot bath and put the pan into the oven. Bake until the custard is starting to set, yet still a little wiggly in the middle, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the brulee from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.
• Lightly sprinkle each custard with the turbinado sugar. Heat the sugar with a butane torch until caramelized. To get a thick caramelized sugar crust, repeat this, with just a light sprinkling each time. Allow to cool and serve.
• *Guy's Tip: if you happen to have any leftover creme brulee mixture, pour it into a baking dish and put it into another roasting pan. Add hot water about halfway up the sides of the dish and bake until custard is starting to set, yet still a little wiggly in the middle, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours. Refer to recipe for caramelizing sugar on top after it has cooled completely.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the crackers and pecans until finely ground, about 6 to 10 (3-second) pulses. Add the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Press into the bottom of a springform pan, baking dish, or 8 (6-ounce) ramekins.

PUMPKIN PIE CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the pumpkins in a large roasting pan, with water coming up 1/2 inch up the sides.
• Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepot. Add the pumpkin puree, brown and granulated sugars, orange liquor, pumpkin spice and salt. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, whisking often. Turn off the heat.
• Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot pumpkin mixture, then slowly whisk the warmed egg mixture back into the pot to fully temper. Strain the mixture, then divide it among the pumpkins, filling about three-quarters of the way to the top. Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake until the centers are set, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Carefully remove from the oven. Using a spatula, carefully remove the pumpkins from the pan and place on a sheet tray. Let cool completely at room temperature. Place in the refrigerator until completely chilled, about 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, sprinkle the tops with enough turbinado sugar to cover in a thin, even layer. Torch the sugar with a kitchen torch until melted and caramelized. Place on plates and serve.

WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN CLASSIC PUMPKIN PIE? CRèME BRûLéE PUMPKIN PIE, DUH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and butter just until the ingredients resemble clumpy sand. Add two tablespoons of ice water, then mix together until the mixture becomes a smooth, cohesive dough.
• Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, and condensed milk, then add pumpkin pie spices.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out onto a well-floured surface.
• Place the dough into a pie plate and crimp the edges. Place prepared pie crust in the freezer for a few minutes to chill.
• Once the dough has chilled again, pour the pumpkin filling into the pie shell, then place in the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for 35 minutes.
• When the pie is fully cooked through, remove it from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
• Sprinkle a generous amount of granulated sugar all over its surface. Using a blow torch, carefully brown the sugar until it has caramelized.
• Repeat the sugar and blow torch method two or three more times, until the entire surface is glassy and deep caramel in color from edge to edge.
• Once the surface of the pie is fully caramelized, slice in and enjoy!

PUMPKIN CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until it comes to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse at least 15 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar. Whisking constantly, gradually pour in the hot cream mixture. Whisk in the pumpkin puree. Pour the mixture into 4 ovenproof ramekins and arrange in a hot water bath. Bake in the center of the oven until almost set but still a bit soft in the center, 30 to 40 minutes. The custard should "shimmy" a bit when you shake the pan; it will firm up more as it cools. Remove from the water bath and let cool 15 minutes. Tightly cover each ramekin with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic does not touch the surface of the custard. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours.
• When ready to serve, preheat a broiler to very hot (or fire up your kitchen torch). Uncover the chilled custards. Pour as much coarse sugar as will fit onto the top of 1 of the custards. Pour off the remaining sugar onto the next custard. Repeat until all the custards are coated. Discard any remaining sugar. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan and broil until the sugar is melted and well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool 1 minute before serving.