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Prep time
50 minutes
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Cook time
45 minutes
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makes
2 pies
Author Notes
"This recipe was published in Parade in November 1982, when Julia Child was writing a recipe column for the magazine. As all cooks (and writers) know, Thanksgiving is an adventure and a challenge: how to come up with fresh ideas that keep the dish on the right side of tradition? In this pie, Mrs. Child’s addition of molasses, extra spices, and especially bourbon breathes new life into the filling. If you like your desserts on the spicy side, add an extra tablespoon of molasses and a pinch of black pepper." —Julia Moskin
—Food52
Test Kitchen Notes
Recipe excerpted with permission from The Essential New York Times Cookbook: The Recipes of Record by Amanda Hesser, published by W. W. Norton & Company; 10th Anniversary edition. © 2021. —The Editors
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Fluffy Pumpkin Pie From Julia Child’s Aunt Helen, Via Julia Moskin
Ingredients
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4
large eggs
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2
(15-ounce) cans (3½ cups) pumpkin purée
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1 cup
light brown sugar
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1 cup
plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
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Kosher salt
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3 tablespoons
molasses
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3 tablespoons
bourbon or dark rum (optional)
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3 teaspoons
ground cinnamon
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3 teaspoons
ground ginger
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1/4 teaspoon
ground nutmeg
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1/4 teaspoon
ground cloves
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1 cup
heavy cream
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3/4 cup
whole milk, more as needed
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2
unbaked 9-inch pie shells, or one 11-inch pie shell (see recipe)
Directions
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Heat oven to 450°F and place a rack in center of oven. Separate the eggs and set aside.
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Using a mixer, blender, or large bowl, blend the pumpkin, both sugars, 1 teaspoon salt, molasses, bourbon or rum (if using), cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, egg yolks, cream, and milk until smooth. Add more milk, a tablespoon at a time, if the mixture is stiff: It should be a soft purée.
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In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until foaming. Whip in a pinch of salt, then gradually whip in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until shiny white peaks form. Beat a quarter of the whites thoroughly into the pumpkin mixture; gently fold in the rest.
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Immediately ladle the filling into the shells, filling to just below the rim of the pan. Place in the oven and bake just until the rim of the crust begins to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the filling 2 inches from the rim comes out clean. (The center should still be a bit wet; it will cook more as it cools.) If the rim of the crust starts to get too brown, cover it with aluminum foil.
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Immediately turn the oven off, leave the door ajar (stick in a wooden spoon to hold it open, if necessary), and let sit 20 to 30 minutes more as the oven cools; this will prevent the filling from turning watery. Serve warm, or let cool, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let the pie come to room temperature before serving.
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