Autumn flavours: The charm of an American pumpkin pie

Although sometimes gloomy and overwhelming, autumn is full of many flavours and aromas that can only be enjoyed at this time of year. One of these autumn specialities is pumpkin pie; for the best inspiration, we look to the American dessert pumpkin pie.

The scent of pumpkin pie evokes long autumn evenings. Every bite is bathed in the aroma of spice, and the creamy texture makes the dessert settle on the tongue like the most comfortable chair. It's hard to describe the sensations after trying pumpkin pie. You simply have to try it.

Pumpkin pie, the famous American pumpkin pie, is a crunchy tart filled with a creamy filling full of pumpkin-spice flavour. Across the ocean, this baked good is particularly popular during the autumn. Pumpkin pie is usually baked for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

The first mentions of pumpkin pie date back to the late 18th century. Apart from the obvious pumpkin, an essential element of the dessert is the addition of spices. In the past, it was a mixture of nutmeg flower, nutmeg, and ginger, or ginger and allspice. Ready-made spice blends, known as pumpkin spice, are used to season American pumpkin pie. You can easily buy this mix in a store, but you can also make it at home without much difficulty.

Ingredients:

FILLING            

• 510 g pumpkin purée (preferably from Hokkaido pumpkin)
• 270 g mascarpone cheese
• 3 eggs
• 40 g butter
• 100 g sugar
• half a teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

CRUST      

• 300 g wheat flour
• 250 g butter
• 70 ml VERY COLD water
• half a teaspoon of salt

Preparation:            

1. Mix some of the flour with the butter until it forms a crumble. Then add the rest of the flour, salt, and quickly knead the dough. Add cold water and knead again. Wrap the finished dough in foil and put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
2. After this time, take the dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out, then line a tart pan (24 cm) with it so that the dough sticks out slightly above the edges. Cover the tart with aluminium foil, weigh it down with special weights or dry beans, and bake at 200°C for 20 minutes. After this time, remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Cool the baked tart.
3. Mix the chilled pumpkin purée with the cheese, butter, sugar, and spices. Add a pinch of salt and then the eggs. Mix until smooth.
4. Pour the prepared pumpkin filling into the cooled tart crust. Bake at 140°C without convection for 50-55 minutes.
5. The pumpkin pie will be ready when the centre only moves slightly.
6. The tart must cool well before serving and then should be placed in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
7. Serve with whipped cream, caramelised nuts, or powdered sugar.