Alex and Amaya were whispering in the corner so I knew something was up. The next thing I knew Amaya climbed into my lap and said, "Mommy will you make some pumpkin pie."
"Sure honey, do you want that today?"
"No, whenever you feel like making it is--" She was interrupted by a loud throat clearing and we both looked over to see Alex shaking his head at her. She turned back and gave me her bigest smile, "I mean, today would be great!"
As I was going to make the pie Alex whipped a can of home made dulce de leche out of the fridge. "How about using this?" and so Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Pie was made in our kitchen for the very first time. It definitely won't be the last. This pie has a sweet pumpkin flavor that slowly gives way to a rich caramel goodness that lingers in your mouth. It's the kind of pie that brings you back to the kitchen long after dinner is done for just one more tiny sliver, because you can't resist it.
*You can use all cornstarch in the recipe below but we find that the tapioca starch gives the finished custard a softer, silkier texture.
**I almost forgot to include the secret ingredient, a teaspoon of maple vinegar helps soften all that sweetness and pull everything together.
Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
1 prepared 9-inch pie crust already in the pie pan
one 435 gram / 15-ounce container of pumpkin (we like the organic)
one 397 gram / 14-ounce can of condensed milk dulce de leche (store-bought or you can pressure cook canned condensed milk for 90 minutes in water bath, let the pressure release naturally, and cool cans completely before opening to make your own.)
21 grams / 3 tablespoons cornstarch
6 grams / 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
3 grams / 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs
240 grams / 1 cup half and half
5 grams / 1 teaspoon maple balsamic vinegar
4 grams / 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Preheat oven to 425°F. (220°C.)
Put the pumpkin, dulce de leche, cornstarch, tapioca starch, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk thoroughly to blend. Add the eggs, half and half, maple vinegar, and vanilla and whisk gently until the mixture forms a smooth batter. Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the prepared pie crust and set on a baking sheet. Carefully slide it into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, rotate the baking sheet, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F., and bake for 45 minutes. Check the pie by gently shaking the pan and if the center is still wobbly return to the oven and check in in 5-minutes increments until the center is set. Let cool completely before serving.
***We like to serve this pie chilled with freshly whipped cream after dinner and plain for breakfast--if you can keep it around that long.
Years Past
Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work
Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook
Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table
