Three kinds of ginger - fresh, ground, and crystalized - give this pumpkin pie a warm, spicy punch. This is not your Gramma's pumpkin pie!
What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
My mom was my Camp Fire leader for many years, and when I was in the third or fourth grade, she gathered our group together on the day before Thanksgiving and taught us all how to make pumpkin pie. We each got to make our own pie (with ample help) and then we delivered them all to our local Salvation Army kitchen so that they could be served at their annual Thanksgiving dinner. After mixing up a couple of big bowls of pumpkin custard, she showed us how to make a pie crust before she helped us make our own.
My mother made pie-making look like a dance as she rolled out her crust with smooth, effortless grace. We girls made pie-making look less like a dance and more like a circus, but in the end, each of us girls had a pie in the oven that we could claim.
Once our pies were done and cool, I remember driving down Sandy and across the Burnside Bridge into “the city,” and then handing my pie to the lady there in the Salvation Army kitchen and looking up at her as she thanked us all and told us how much those pies would mean to the people who ate them. It made me feel really special. I know it was just a pie, but it was also the first time I remember ever having that glimmer of understanding that my contributions to my community mattered – that they were important. So it maybe it wasn’t just a pie after all.
The rules have changed, so likely you can’t deliver your home-baked pie to the local homeless shelter kitchen anymore, but there are so many ways to serve in the community every day, not only in the holiday season, but all year round. And usually, it takes less time out of your day than making a pie.
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Triple Ginger Pumpkin Pie
Equipment
- 1 small blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening chilled for one hour
- ¼ cup butter chilled & coarsely grated
- ¼ cup ice water
Pumpkin Custard
- 2 cups pureed pumpkin canned or fresh
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced crystallized ginger
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice (scant)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups half & half divided
Instructions
Pie Dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, crystalized ginger, sugar, ground ginger, and salt.Using a pastry cutter, back of a fork, or your fingers (my personal choice) work the cold shortening into the flour mixture until the texture resembles that of strudel crumble.
- Add grated or cut ice-cold butter to flour mixture.Work butter in using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers. It's OK to leave large pieces of butter (ballsup to the size of a lima bean): this is what makes your pie crust flakey!
- Cool flour mixture in freezer 5 minutes before proceeding.Sprinkle ½ cup ice cold water over the top of the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a ball begins to form.IMPORTANT: Do not pour liquid onto flour mixture: sprinkle it.
- Turn dough out onto counter, and press it together into a large ball.Press dough into a disk.(Do not overwork the dough. Just press it together.)Wrap the disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate prepared dough for at least one hour, and up to two days.
Par-bake Pie Shell
- Chill the pie crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. While the crust is chilling, preheat oven to 375°F | 190°C.Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Make sure the weights are evenly distributed.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the edges of the crust are starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove pie from the oven and carefully lift the weights in the parchment paper out of the pie.
- Prick holes all around the bottom crust with a fork. Return the pie crust to the oven and bake until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.
- Allow the pie crust to cool while you prepare the pumpkin custard.
Pumpkin Custard
- Whisk eggs and egg yolks together in a large bowl.
- Put grated ginger and ¼ - ½ cup half & half in a small blender and blend until smooth. (Use only as much half & half as you need to.)
- Mix pumpkin, spices, sugar, and pureed ginger into eggs.
- When pie crust is prepared, heat remaining half & half over medium low heat until nearly boiling (do not boil it!). Remove from heat and whisk into the pumpkin mixture.
Bake Pie
- Preheat oven to 350°F | 180°F.
- Use a pie shield or an aluminum foil collar to protect the edges from burning.
- Fill prepared pie shell with warm pumpkin custard and bake for 45-60 minutes.
- The pie is done when a knife inserted halfway between the middle and the edge comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
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Cristine says
Sadly, under the instructions for the custard, the sugar isn’t indicated when to add. My sister didn’t add the 1 1/4 brown sugar to the custard and so it came out bland ?
Renée says
Thank you for letting me know! This is one of our oldest posts, and is in line for a complete overhaul. For now, I've updated the recipe to specify the sugar addition.
Heidi says
I haven’t tried this recipe, yet.. for I love, love, love pumpkin anything. My comment is more on your writing. I enjoyed the visual you provided on how your mom would make her pie crust... I too, could see her bending over your shiny yellow Formica table. It made my heart smile. Thank you for sharing.
As Ever,
Heidi
Renée ♥ says
Thank you for the kind words, Heidi.
Clotilde/Craftybegonia says
Visiting from The SITS Girls. That pie looks really delicious!
Anna @cafeyak says
What a beautiful story! I love ginger, so it would be a fun mix in a pumpkin pie.
Katie says
Wow! That looks and sounds absolutely delicious! I love your story, too. You have a very nice fluid and descriptive writing style that I'm sure will take you far in the blogging community! 🙂
Renée ♥ says
Thank you for the kind words, Katie. Writing has been an important part of my life forever, but food blogging is definitely a new adventure. Oh, the places life takes us! I read your Coco Chanel post and pinned it. Someday I'd love to be able to composed an image as easily as I can compose an essay: I have a long way to go in that department!
Pary Moppins says
Oh my goodness! This looks amazing! I love the way described your Mom making a pie crust as dancing. Beautiful.
Renée ♥ says
Thank you for your kind words.
KG says
Oh my!! Looks so good.
I love pumpkin pie and I'm weird i know, but i love to add cranberry sauce as a topper.
Happy SITS Day, friend!
Keep it Touched,
KG
www,kgstyleinc.com
Renée ♥ says
I don't think that sounds weird at all! Do you make your own cranberry sauce?
Sandra at Itstidytime says
You are GOOD!I don't know if I'll be able to duplicate this but I'd love to try!! Stopping by from SITS and have an awesome day 🙂
Ugochi says
Very touching story. I like being of help especially when it has to do with providing food for the hungry. Happy SITS day, enjoy it!
Rabia @TheLiebers says
I'm not a fan of pumpkin pie, but I do love recipes with a great back story. Your is so touching. I imagine you remember your mother every time you bake a pie!