Let's Practice Pies - Part 2 - Pumpkin Chiffon! And working with Gelatin....

Hello Bakers,

Here’s part two of Let’s Practice Pies. With one more weekend to go, you have time to try out this pumpkin chiffon pie. Chiffon pies were very mid-century. They are light and delicious. This is the perfect pie when you want the flavor of pumpkin but not the heaviness of a traditional pumpkin pie.

I am filming all weekend so I won’t get a chance to post again until early next week. so good luck with your ingredient shopping

And you can make your flaky pie crust this weekend and freeze it - just remember to pull it out of the freezer the night before you want to bake.

Let me know if you have questions.

Happy Baking! Colette

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Graham Cracker Crust - It is also to fine to buy a pre made graham crust of you are short on time.

Equipment: Scale, medium bowl, small saucepan for melting butter, 9 or 10 inch pie plate, lightly brushed with melted butter, spoon, 8 inch pie plate (optional) helps with pressing down crumbs

Ingredients

6 ounces (170g) graham cracker crumbs,

1 ounce sugar,

3 Tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces (43g) melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine sugar and graham cracker crumbs in bowl - stir to combine.

Pour melted butter over crumbs and stir. Crumbs should be fully coated with the butter and should hold a shape when squeezed.

Dump crumbs into lightly greased pie pan. Press firmly into pan. I leave the top lip of the pan clear of crumbs. It helps with serving. The 8” pie pan can be used to tamp down the crumbs - see photo.

Larger pan used to tap down crumbs - Lip of pan is clear

Bake crust at 350 for 5 minutes - cool on a rack while making filling.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

Equipment: Lots of bowls, medium saucepan, whisk and spatula, instant read thermometer

9g powdered gelatin (or 1 package) gelatin or 3 leaves gelatin (any grade) soaked in ice water.

1 1/2 ounces (43g) cold milk

1 can pumpkin 15 3/4 ounce size) any brand for once it dies not matter

7 ounces brown sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ginger and 1/8 teaspoon allspice

2 1/2 ounces milk

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 egg whites

1 ounce water (for Italian meringue)

1 1/2 ounces (43g) sugar

4 ounces (113g) cream whipped to soft peaks and placed in refrigerator

Dissolve the powdered gelatin into the cold 1 1/2 ounces of milk - yes it it will look really strange. See photo:

In the medium saucepan, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and milk. Use a whisk to smooth out the ingredients but to do not whip any air into it.

Heat over medium heat for one minute and add egg yolks, heat, whisking slowly to 185, remove for heat and whisk in gelatin and milk mixture. Now be forewarned , this is a challenge - you need to whisk slowly until there is not not a speck of gelatin visible - this will take a while. If using leaf gelatin, make sure to squeeze out any excess water before adding to the warm filling (it must be 140 degrees to dissolve the gelatin.

Then cool over an ice bath to 85 degrees (watch it closely as it does not take long. Do not cool until the gelatin solidifies or congeals at all.

In a small saucepan combine water and sugar, cook over medium heat until it reaches 236 degrees (soft ball). Small amounts of sugar cook quickly so you can start the egg whites on medium speed as you begin to cook your sugar.

Whip the egg whites on medium speed until cappuccino foam and pour in hot sugar carefully. Whip until soft peaks are achieved - the angle of the peak is at 10:00 - see photo above.

When pumpkin mixture is 85 degrees with a whisk fold in 1/4 of the egg whites ands then the rest of the egg whites. Follow with whipped cream. Be very careful to make sure there are no streaks.

Filling components - whipped cream, soft peak meringue and pumpkin

Whipped cream goes in after meringue - always

Mixed - make sure there are no streaks - scrape the bottom a few times - i used a spatula to mix

Pour into cooled graham cracker shell and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Optional garnish:

Caramelized Pecans:

Equipment: Small Saucepan, skewer or cake tester, parchment paper

2 ounces (57g) water

3.5 (99g) sugar

12 pecan halves

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the caramel is light amber.
Working quickly and carefully (the caramel is hot) dip the pecan halves into the hot caramel. A skewer works well to get them out of the hot caramel. Set them right side up on a piece of parchment paper to cool.

Chantilly Cream

Equipment: Stand mixer with whisk attachments or hand held mixer with whisk attachments or standard beaters. Large whisk and a large bowl will also work and it a workout too.

8 ounces (227g) Heavy cream

1 1/2 ounces (43g) Confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Whip cream until it is is the consistency of yogurt, add sugar and vanilla and whip until the cream holds soft peaks.
Place cream in piping bag fitted with a 824 - 826 tip (medium open star)

To finish: Score the top of the pie into 12 slices. Pipe a big rosette of cream on each slice and garnish the rosette with a caramelized pecan.