Are you intimidated by pies?? Don’t be – you can do it! Last year I tried a couple of crust/pastry recipes, and the best by far was my mom’s – the secret was buttermilk. So pick a recipe that calls for buttermilk, or use this one:
(makes 2 crusts)
1 C Shortening
1/2 stick Margarine
1 Tbsp veg oil
–squeeze all these butter-type products together
3 C flour – mix in (with fingers – not too much!)
1/2 C buttermilk (you probably won’t use it all)
dash of salt
–bake approx 10 minutes at 350
Now, I made a Pumpkin CHIFFON Pie – growing up, I thought this WAS pumpkin pie. I probably didn’t have “real” pumpkin pie until college and thought “was IS this stuff – ick!” Needless to say, I prefer the “chiffon” version – if you’ve never had, you must! It is light and fluffy and delicious. Best topped with whip cream. Here’s the recipe, with commentary from my mom:
3 egg yolks
Directions:
Separate 3 eggs. Place 3 egg yolks in large saucepan and 3 egg whites in a clean glass bowl (cover bowl with a paper towel and set out on counter – Do NOT refrigerate). Add ½ cup sugar, pumpkin, milk, and spices to the egg yolks in the pan. Completely blend. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently-constantly until mixture has thickened (at least 10 minutes of simmering popping – if you haven’t been burned by popping molten pumpkin mixture you’re not doing it right). In a cup add 1-tablespoon gelatin (1 packet) to ¼ cup warm water. Let dissolve (make sure it is completely mixed in and dissolved). Pour gelatin water into thickened pumpkin mixture. Stir in and mix completely. Set pumpkin mixture in a cool place (on porch, in garage, in refrigerator, or on counter – will take longer) until cooled. Stir mixture occasionally to speed up cooling. When pumpkin mixture is completely cooled begin chiffon mixture. Whip 3 room temperature egg whites in mixer until stiff peaks form. Slowing add ½ cup sugar to egg whites. Fold in egg white mixture into pumpkin mixture. Do not beat mixtures together; you want to keep the fluffiness of the whipped egg white mixture to make the pie light…hence the ‘chiffon’. Pour blended mixture into a cooled baked pie shell. Place in refrigerator (or cool place) and let set.
Number of servings:
(makes one 8”/9”pie)
So here I am, stirring away at the popping pumpkin (wearing that fab apron from Sonshine Designs):
And here is the pumpkin mix cooling outside – as a kid I remember having to run out to the porch and stir the pot that was sitting in the snow. I guess you could use the fridge, but where’s the fun in that…..
I made 2 pies this year for my husband’s work food day – he was nice and left one at home for me (well, and the kids..)
Last year my mom was out-of-town right up until Thanksgiving, so I was assigned to make all the pies – – here’s my post about it from my family blog last year. It sounded intimidating, but I did it and I want all you out there to know that YOU TOO CAN MAKE A PIE – just TRY IT!!
Kim says
Just one more suggestion. Use butter flavor Crisco, you’re pie crusts will be a nice color, instead of pale.
Jenny says
This is the same recipe my grandmother made. Like you, I thought this was pumpkin pie and hate the other stuff! I inherited my grandmother’s recipe and I make the pies now. Still, my favorite pie!