Bourbon-Laced Pumpkin Pie with Walnut Streusel

Bourbon-Laced Pumpkin Pie with Walnut Streusel

Save your pumpkins and bring on the bourbon!

If you’re like me, after Halloween you have several large pumpkins looking like they need to be carved or eaten!  Hey, what’s wrong with putting ole “Jack o Lantern” to good use?  We never got around to carving since my son’s “marker art” would’ve been destroyed.

So I just cut it in half, removed the seeds, and roasted them in the oven…Now what??  Pumpkin pie?  Pumpkin Soup?  Pumpkin Bread, muffins, pancakes?  Take your pick!  After roasting you can freeze in ice trays and have them in the freezer to make all kinds of neat stuff throughout the year!  What’s important though is removing all the liquid.

After roasting, I scoop all the goodness out and into the food processor or Vitamix to puree until smooth.  I decided to go with pumpkin pie this year since I’ve never made one!  I cooked the pumpkin on the stove to cook down some liquid.  I like to flavor while cooking so I added a dash of this, a spoon of that until it tasted right to me with the right amount of sweetness.  I pretty much cook with my nose these days as a toddler on my legs makes it difficult to go look for a recipe.  I’m lucky if I jump on google and grab a quick recipe.

I added all the spices that are normal for pumpkin pie or cider.  Nutmeg, Cardamom, Allspice, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, Vanilla Bean Extract, and Himalayan Sea Salt with enough Maple Sugar from Trader Joes to sweeten it to my liking all in the pot while cooking…

After cooking some of the water down, I squeezed the pumpkin in a cheesecloth and to my surprise, the liquid tasted AMAZING!!  It was a pumpkin cider!  My husband could not put it down!  It was wonderful warm or cold.  And the house smelled amazing!  Hey waste, not want not!  Besides, it is incredibly healthy with a power punch of vitamins.  Even the toddlers loved it!

Then you can use the pumpkin just as you would canned but let me tell you there is a clear difference in the taste of freshly roasted pumpkin instead of canned!  It was absolutely divine!  Two people asked me if I would sell it, even got an offer for $25 for my little pie.  Good thing I made 3 of them!  If you have a really large pumpkin you can make several or save the rest for other goodies!

You will need to add more spices to the filling after squeezing the liquid out, but just enough to your liking since a lot of it will be flavoring the pumpkin cider! Or you can use it out of the can, but miss the memories of ripping open a pumpkin with the little ones!

Since I am not a fan of making pie crust (I’m really not much of a baker either), I opted for something a little healthier.  So I went straight to Earth Fare and picked up a spelt pie crust!  Bring on the ancient grains!  I would rather spend the time on fresh produce than dough any day!  This pie was even eaten by ME, the “I don’t eat PIE” girl.  For no reason other than I really don’t care for many sweets, especially pie.  This one I couldn’t resist and it was SO worth the love in the pan.  Delicious!

Recipe:

Pumpkin Filling:

• 3 Large Organic Eggs
• 1/4 cup of organic dark brown sugar (you may need more regular sugar depending on how sweet it is already)
• 2 tablespoons of unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of cardamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup organic heavy cream
• 1/4 Bourbon (Jim Beam was my pick)

Streusel Topping:

• 3/4 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour ( I use wheat)
• 1/3 granulated organic sugar
• 1/3 cup packed organic dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cold unsalted organic butter, cut into inch cubes
• 3/4 cup organic walnut pieces, toasted in a toaster over or pan
• 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream for garnish

Make the pumpkin filling:

Spoon the pumpkin into a large bowl after pureeing. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Add both sugars and the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and salt. Whisk about 30 seconds. Whisk in the heavy cream and bourbon.

Make the streusel topping:

Combine the flour, both sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse briefly to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the butter has blended into the dry ingredients and the mixture is crumbly. Don’t let the butter get too blended or too warm or it will become dough.  Remove the blade and stir in the walnuts and crystallized ginger.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the unbaked pie crust.  Scatter the crumb streusel topping over the top.  Bake until the topping is evenly cooked and no longer looks wet in the middle.  I cooked all three at the same time, rotating every 15 minutes for 50 to 60 minutes.  Let them cook on a rack for a couple hours before devouring or refrigerate and serve the next day warm or cold or room temperature.  Don’t forget a scoop of whipped cream or ice cream.  Hey you have to give in at least once a year.  Otherwise what are we thankful for?  Enjoy your Thanksgiving and eat some pie!

Love and pumpkins,