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Marion’s Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 128 reviews

Marion’s Best Pumpkin Pie is a classic dessert featuring a flaky two-minute sweetcrust pastry filled with a smooth and spiced pumpkin filling. The pie is beautifully adorned with a decorative braided crust for an impressive presentation, and the rich flavors of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg create a warm, comforting taste perfect for autumn or holiday gatherings. Served chilled and with whipped cream, this pie combines ease and elegance in every slice.

Ingredients

Scale

Egg Wash and Toppings

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
  • Whipped cream, to serve

Pastry

  • 2½ cups cake flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 5 tsp icing sugar mixture (confectioners sugar)
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 250g (9 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
  • ⅓ cup ice-cold water
  • Spray oil, for greasing
  • Baking weights or raw rice, for blind baking

Spiced Pumpkin Filling

  • 1kg (2 lb 3 oz) Japanese (Kent) or butternut pumpkin
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 500ml (17 fl oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 2½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ whole nutmeg, finely grated (or ½ tsp ground nutmeg)
  • 1½ tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 6 eggs

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pumpkin: Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Line a large baking dish with greaseproof paper, remove pumpkin skin and seeds, cut into 4cm pieces, toss with oil, spread in dish, cover with foil, and roast for 35-40 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool.
  2. Make Pastry Dough: Combine flour, icing sugar, salt, and chilled butter in food processor. Pulse to breadcrumb texture, then slowly add cold water while blending until a loose dough forms.
  3. Divide and Chill Dough: Press dough together, divide into two portions (one-third for braid), shape remainder into thick disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. Prepare Braid Template: Use greaseproof paper to trace a 28cm pie dish circle, then a smaller 23cm circle inside to form a ring template. Flip paper over and place on tray or board suitable for freezer or fridge.
  5. Form Pastry Braid: Roll walnut-sized dough portions into ropes about 0.5cm thick, form braid starting from middle, place on ring template, continue braiding until ring completed. Freeze 15 minutes or refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up.
  6. Roll and Chill Pie Crust: Roll remaining dough on floured surface to 3mm thickness. Transfer to sprayed 28cm pie dish carefully shaped to fit, trim excess, and chill for 30 minutes.
  7. Blind Bake Pie Crust: Brush pie crust rim with egg wash, carefully place braided ring on top as decoration. Line pastry with baking paper and fill with baking weights or raw rice. Bake at 170°C for 30 minutes, remove weights and paper, then bake an additional 15 minutes until golden brown.
  8. Prepare Pumpkin Filling: Place cooled cooked pumpkin, brown sugar, condensed milk, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in food processor. Blend on high until smooth. Strain mixture through sieve into bowl to remove lumps.
  9. Add Eggs Gradually: Lightly whisk one egg at a time before incorporating into pumpkin mixture gently to avoid air incorporation. Repeat for all 6 eggs until combined.
  10. Fill and Bake Pumpkin Pie: Reduce oven to 125°C (260°F). Pour filling into baked pie crust. Brush braided crust with remaining egg wash. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes until edges are set and center is slightly wobbly.
  11. Cool and Serve: Allow pie to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Notes

  • The cake flour used in the pastry ensures a tender, flaky crust; you can substitute with all-purpose flour if necessary but cake flour is preferred.
  • Keeping the pastry cool throughout handling helps maintain its flakiness and prevents shrinking.
  • Blind baking with weights prevents the crust from bubbling and shrinking, ensuring a perfectly shaped shell.
  • Adding eggs gradually while mixing filling helps prevent air pockets that could cause cracks during baking.
  • Allowing the pie to cool overnight in the fridge improves flavor and texture, making slicing cleaner and the filling firmer.
  • If Japanese or butternut pumpkins are unavailable, use a similar sweet and dense pumpkin variety for best results.

Keywords: pumpkin pie, sweetcrust pastry, baked dessert, autumn dessert, spiced pumpkin, holiday baking, decorative pastry braid

Find it online: https://yumwithmia.com/marions-best-pumpkin-pie-recipe/