Classic Pumpkin Pie

• 95 g plus 1 tbsp flour
• 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 16 cubes
• 13 g sugar
• 3 g fine salt
• 60 ml cold tap water
• 425 g can pure pumpkin purée
• 397 g can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten (optional, for sealing crust)
• 1 ml kosher salt
• 3 g ground cinnamon
• 1 g ground ginger
• 1 g ground nutmeg
• 1 g ground cloves

Mga Tagubilin

1. Pie Crust

   1

   Add flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer and combine them together. Add the butter pieces and mix with a paddle attachment until coarse crumbs form (just a minute or two). Add water and mix for just about 15–30 seconds until the dough comes together. Fold the dough a couple of times (better technique than simply kneading it and making it tough).

2. 2

   Roll the dough into a large circle around 12–13 inches (30–33 cm), or more importantly 2–3 mm thick, not more. Use lots of flour to prevent sticking. Transfer the dough to your pie dish and crimp the edges. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1½ hours.

3. 3

   Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Set the wire racks to the lower third of the oven.

4. 4

   Line the chilled pie with parchment and fill completely with sugar or weights.

5. 5

   Bake for 20 minutes at 400°F (200°C).

6. 6

   Remove the weights and parchment.

7. 7

   Return to the oven for 5–7 minutes, just until the bottom looks set but still pale. You don't want deep browning yet — it will continue baking once filled.

8. 8

   Brush the inside lightly with egg white (if desired) while still warm. This creates a thin seal to resist sogginess.

9. 9

   Cool 5–10 minutes, then pour in the pumpkin filling and bake as usual. Tent the edges of the par-baked crust with aluminium foil to prevent browning too much or burning.

10. Pumpkin Filling

    10

    Combine all the pie ingredients together except the eggs and whisk well. Add lightly beaten eggs and stir them well into the pie batter. The idea is to not whip the eggs by whipping too much air into the dough (which will cause bubbles or cracking). So combine them well but gently.

11. 11

    Pour the batter into the prepared crust and bake for 15 minutes at 425°F (220°C). After 15 minutes, without opening the oven, reduce the heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 35 minutes. The pie should be done after 50 minutes at those temperatures; however, feel free to insert a butter knife 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the edge – when it comes out clean, your pie is done. See my updated and slightly reduced baking times in the Notes section.

12. 12

    Cool the pie and serve with fresh whipped cream and/or ice cream.