Thanksgiving Baking - Part I

This year I am not cooking Thanksgiving, we are going to my Mom's house for dinner, but I am still in charge of dessert. I offered to bake the pies and my Mother, who is incredibly fond of my flourless chocolate cake, asked me to make one of those - more on that later.

Anyway, I couldn't decide between pumpkin or pecan pie, and didn't want to make both, since I was also making the flourless chocolate cake, thus my recipe for Pumpkin-Pecan Pie was born. My favorite part is that the pecan pie layer uses NO CORN SYRUP, resulting "goo" is much tastier and not so sickly sweet as the toothache inducing alternative.

Pumpkin-Pecan Pie (Printer friendly)

Yield: 1 10 inch pie, 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

1 pie crust

(for pumpkin layer)

1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (sour cream or cream cheese would probably substitute just fine)

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

(for pecan layer)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup melted and cooled butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out and prepare pie crust, line pan, trim and crimp crust. If desired decorate crust edge with cutouts and apply with egg wash (1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk). Set aside and chill until needed.

Pumpkin Layer:

In large mixing bowl combine pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, mascarpone cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk thoroughly until completely smooth and combined. Set aside and chill until needed.

Pecan Layer:

In stand mixer on lowest speed or large mixing bowl beat eggs until foamy and stir in melted butter. Add brown sugar, white sugar, maple syrup, and flour, mix until smooth and combined. Finally, in vanilla and milk, then stir in nuts by hand.

Assembly:

Retrieve pie shell and pumpkin filling from refrigerator. Carefully spoon in pumpkin filling and smooth top with back of spoon or spatula, chill for 5-10 minutes in freezer.

Remove pie from freezer. CAREFULLY begin to ladle pecan mixture over pumpkin, being sure to cover (without disturbing) the pumpkin layer.

Cover the crust with a pie crust shield or tin foil to prevent burning and bake in preheated 400 degree over for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 45-55 minutes. Remove pie crust shield or tin foil and continue baking for 10 more minutes to lightly brown the crust. Knife inserted into pie should come out moist, but clean.

Cool for at least 1-2 hours before serving. Enjoy!