When I was a kid, everybody made pumpkin pie from a can and I didn’t get it. There were beautiful squashes in the fields in October and November just screaming to be made into a fresh pie, which is why I love to make a sweet, beautiful faux pumpkin or squash pie.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 4 hr |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 pounds squash, butternut, hubbard, or kabocha
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar, preferably demerara
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 1/2 tablespoons raw sugar, preferably demerara
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into half-inch cubes
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the squash in half, sprinkle both halves with the salt and sugar, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake in a casserole for one hour or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool. (Note: The squash can be roasted and scooped from the skin 3 days in advance.)
- Put the flour onto a clean surface or into a large bowl and make a well in the center. To the well, add the salt, the sugar, the butter, and 1 tablespoon cold water (add more if needed). With your fingertips, push the flour and butter together until large clumps form. Scoop the mixture together and with the heel of your hand, push until the dough comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or freeze for up to 2 weeks.
- Dust a clean surface with flour; with the end of a rolling pin, pound the chilled dough into a large disc.
- Roll the dough to fit an 11-inch pie plate: start from the center and roll away from yourself. Transfer the dough to the pie plate and gently press the dough into the plate and chill for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place a large piece of parchment over the dough and weigh it down with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 15–20 minutes, rotating once. Remove from the oven, pour the beans into a heat-proof pan, and cool the crust. (Note: The crust can be rolled out and pre-baked up to 3 days in advance. After cooling, cover with plastic wrap or foil and store at room temperature.)
- For the filling, remove and discard the seeds from the cooked squash. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Add the cream, eggs, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, pinch of salt, lemon zest, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk to combine, leaving the squash chunky.
- Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake until the custard is set and golden-brown, 40–50 minutes.
- Let cool and serve with cinnamon-flavored whipped cream.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 16 servings |
| Calories | 262 |
| Total Fat | 14 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 24 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 73 mg |
| Sodium | 275 mg |
Reviews
This shows the potential of a 10 out of 10. I used 1/2 the amount of brown sugar and found it too sweet. I would suggest no more than 1/4 cup.
Everyone was raving over this during Thanksgiving
So good! 10/10 would make again. I used a pumpkin leftover from Halloween that never got carved, which made it kind of stringy, but didn’t affect the end result at all, so I think any type of winter squash would work, but I’m definitely using the suggested kind next time!