Pumpkin pie: A sweet seasonal delight for autumn

American pumpkin pie is a traditional autumn cake. With pumpkins' growing popularity, it is no wonder that we also enjoy baking these delicacies. Here are simple rules for making this dessert.

Sweet pumpkin pie is a simple way to use this vegetable for dessert. In the version with added condensed milk, it will literally melt in your mouth and will not be too strong with the characteristic pumpkin flavour. Pumpkin pie tastes great served warm, but it is also excellent cold. It pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea, creating an aromatic and tasty dessert for autumn-winter days.

To prepare the perfect sweet pumpkin pie, it is worth paying attention to the type of pumpkin we choose. Not every pumpkin is suitable for baking cakes, and choosing the right type of pumpkin can significantly affect the taste and texture. The best and easiest to buy is the Hokkaido pumpkin. Its flesh is sweet, creamy, and easy to blend, making it perfect for desserts. This pumpkin does not require peeling, which shortens the preparation time.

To give the pie the appropriate taste and texture, it is worth combining pumpkin puree with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. The whole thing is complemented by eggs, which act as a binder, and condensed milk, which adds sweetness and delicacy. The proportions are given for a 20 cm (8-inch) cake pan.

Ingredients for the crust:

• 200 g (7 oz) of all-purpose flour,
• 125 g (4 oz) of butter,
• 50 g (2 oz) of fine sugar,
• 1 egg.

Ingredients for the filling:

• 500 ml (2 cups) of pumpkin puree,
• 1 can (400 ml) of condensed milk,
• 2 eggs,
• 6 g (1 tsp) of cinnamon,
• 3 g (0.5 tsp) of ground ginger,
• 2 g (0.5 tsp) of ground nutmeg, 3 crushed cloves.

Preparation:

1. Sift the flour, add chopped cold butter, sugar, and egg, and chop everything with a knife, gathering it to the centre. Then, knead it into a smooth dough, make a ball, and put it in the fridge for about an hour.
2. Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds, and cut it into small pieces. Put it in a pot with a small amount of water and cook until soft so that it begins to fall apart. Blend into a smooth paste.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line the baking pan with parchment paper, grease it with butter, and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs.
4. Pour the condensed milk into the pumpkin puree, add the spices, and mix thoroughly. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add the yolks and, in parts, the pumpkin puree, gently mixing with a spatula.
5. Take the dough out of the fridge, roll it out for the crust, and line the bottom and sides of the pan. Pre-bake the crust for about 8 minutes.
6. Then pour the pumpkin filling onto the crust in the pan. Put it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 200°C (390°F), then about 40 minutes at 170°C (340°F).
7. Before baking, you can add decoration from part of the shortcrust pastry for a nice presentation of the pie.