Pumpkin Pies
Makes 1 large 25cm diameter and 12 small pies
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry:
- 100 g Unsalted butter
- 200 g plain flour
- 2 tablespoon ice cold water
For the filling:
- 300 g pumpkin flesh
- 100 ml orange juice
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 300 ml double cream
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon Icing sugar
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 160°C. Sift the flour into a bowl and cut the butter into small cubes and rub into the flour until it forms a dough. Be careful not to Once a dough is formed wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes.
- Once rested roll out to a pound coin thickness and line a 25cm tart case – or into small rounds for individual tarts. Prick the base a couple of times with a fork. Leave the case to rest for a further 20 minutes then place a sheet of greaseproof and baking beans in the middle and blind bake at 160°c for 25 minutes or until pastry has cooked and light gold in colour. Trim the edges and leave the pastry case to cool.
- Heat the oven to 200ºC.
- Hollow out a pumpkin ready for Halloween.
- Chop the flesh and put it in a pan with the orange juice and simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Liquidise and allow to cool.
- Beat the egg into the cream adding half the cinnamon and the nutmeg. Combine the egg mixture with the sugar to the pumpkin puree.
- Fill the pastry cases with the mixture and bake. Remove the little pies after 10 minutes of and cook the large pie for a further 20 minutes.
- Optional – make a sugar syrup using 50g caster sugar and the juice of a lemon. Bring to the boil over a high heat and set aside. Add a few buck thorn berries and drizzle over your pie.