Pies & Friends

I love baking pies.  Nothing new there.

I especially love waking up early Sunday morning (while the house is still quiet) and making pies from scratch.  Just me, James Taylor, and my pantry of supplies.

Today's pie isn't for me (surprisingly) instead it's for my friend Tom, who earlier in the week sent me this cartoon text all about fall pie.

Being the sharp tack that I am I assumed that this was his way of asking me to bake him one.  Of course I accepted, especially after he told me that there was a bottle of wine in it for me.  Done.

His flavour request?  Pumpkin Cheesecake.
My flavour request?  Anything Red.

So for you buddy.....here it is.  ENJOY!

LOVE JS

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1 disk of pie dough (homemade or store bought)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger

whipped cream for serving

Method:

Roll out dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface.  Ease into a 9-inch pie plate.  Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edges.  Pierce the bottom and sides all over with a fork.  Chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line the chilled dough with foil and fill with pied weights or dried beans.  Transfer to the oven and bake until the edges are golden, 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the crust is golden all over, 10 minutes more.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer.  Add the pumpkin and beat until combined.  Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined.  Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and beat until combined.  Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon and ginger, beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until centre is set.  (Cover edges of pie crust if beginning to brown).
Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature.  Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Yields 1 (9-inch) pie
slightly adapted from Paula Deen