I sat down to write this post last night. I wanted it to exude thankfulness in light of the upcoming holiday and this here Maple Pumpkin Pie. But I was far from feeling thankful last night. After a long day of 20-minute catnaps with a cranky babe, I thought I’d hand her over to Kev as soon as he walked in the door. After 5 minutes at home, he was called in. Dang. I forgot he was on call.

Maple Pumpkin Pie | The Fauxmartha

A couple hours later, and I finally got her down. I sit down to write. Stare at the blank screen hoping to muster up some ounce of thankfulness. It must be in there somewhere. I begin typing. Screen freezes. Refresh. Screen freezes. Refresh. And then the babe starts crying again.

Maple Pumpkin Pie | The Fauxmartha

This is life. It’s far from that perfectly styled spread in a magazine. The one where snow is falling out the large windows in the background. Everyone’s dressed up, heels on, hair done. The thanksgiving spread is out on the table, held together by a gold runner. Much too beautiful to eat. The turkey glistens. It’s perfectly stuffed. Grapes and fresh sage springs adorn the base of it. Homemade place cards thoughtfully sit at every plate which is accompanied by a gold tumbler. The meal magically stays warm while we toast our champagne.

Maple Pumpkin Pie | The Fauxmartha

And somehow I’ve landed myself in this spread. Maybe this is why mustering up an ounce of thankfulness can be so hard. It’s true, I’m enamored by these visions of warm golden turkeys. I want my table to look that pretty and my food that perfect. But mostly, I’m just jealous they managed to shower before the meal. That’s an art I’ve yet to figure out.

Maple Pumpkin Pie | The Fauxmartha

I grew up with canned cranberry sauce sliced and served on my great grandma’s glass dish that only came out of the cupboard on special occasions. Green bean casserole made from a couple cans. Pre-made rolls that we’d let rise over the dryer in the laundry room. Stuffing from a bag. A pumpkin pie made with a pre-made crust. And it was absolutely perfect.

Maple Pumpkin Pie | The Fauxmartha

We’d smoosh together extra tables into the dining room to accommodate additional bodies. If you didn’t have a place to eat Thanksgiving dinner, my dad would find you. There was always a place at our table(s).

Maple Pumpkin Pie | The Fauxmartha

The morning of, my mom would wake up early to begin prepping the meal, the Thanksgiving Day Parade playing in the background. She always started by sautéing the onion and celery for the stuffing—the smell of thanksgiving. That and dried sage. My dad would make the secret family recipe, sausage gravy and biscuits, for breakfast. We’d indulge and then disappear until everyone came over. Helping wasn’t our strong suit.

Maple Pumpkin Pie | The Fauxmartha

Just before the dinner, my sister and I would rummage the house to create a centerpiece. One year Dad’s duck decoys lined the center of the tables along with random candles and a red wreath we tore apart. That’s the spread in the memory of my magazine.

Maple Pumpkin Pie | The Fauxmartha

We haven’t spent a Thanksgiving at “home” since we moved away and married. Tickets are too expensive. And now with a little one, I’m deathly afraid to get on a plane, more so deathly afraid of the looks I’ll get. She’s cute, but she can scream. Over the past couple years, I’ve worked on my thanksgiving recipes. Of course, I make everything the long way. No cans. All fresh. Cooking a huge meal is like heaven to me. But every year, the pumpkin pie, that pie I’ve never cared much for, beats me. And every year I swear to never make it again.

Without a doubt, I nearly spill the pie filling while transporting it into the oven. Then I proceed to sweat for the next two hours while standing in front of the oven praying, hoping, dreaming the center will eventually set before the crust burns to smithereens. It’s never pretty. But this year, I beat the pie. And I’ve even fallen in love with the taste. Freshly roasted pumpkin, sweetened with maple syrup, and fattened with heavy cream. The crust—light and flaky but hidden with oats and wheat flour. Baked in a tart pan to decrease the bake time and keep the crust from burning. It requires no crimping and no sweating. There may be time for a shower after all.

Magazine spreads, memories, and maple pumpkin pie aside, I’ve learned one thing this year. Sometimes the feeling of thankfulness is more than a feeling, it’s a choice. And one I plan on making. Even on the hardest of days, the days without a shower.

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Maple Pumpkin Pie from The Faux Martha

Maple Pumpkin Pie


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  • Yield: 10" tart 1x

Description

Gone are the days of canned milk, spilled filling while in transport, and fussy pie crust edges that typically burn by the time the pie sets up. Bake this maple-sweetened pumpkin pie in a tart pan. It’ll will woo even the pumpkin pie haters in the group.


Ingredients

Scale

Crust

1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 c. white whole wheat flour
1/4 c. oat flour*
1 tsp. pure cane sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 c. ice water

Filling

3 large eggs
1 c. heavy cream
1 1/4 c. pumpkin puree**
2/3 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Topping

1/2 c. heavy cream
2 tsp. maple syrup


Instructions

  1. Make the crust. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, and salt. Add in butter a tablespoon at a time. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Add in half the water. Using a pastry fork, carefully incorporate water into the dough. Add more water until dough just comes together. Gather together into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill dough. For a detailed pie crust tutorial and video, head over here.
  2. Make the filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and heavy cream until combined. Whisk in pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add salt and spices. Whisk to combine and set aside.
  3. Roll the crust. On a well floured surface, roll out crust until about 13″ in diameter to allow for a 1″ overhang. Carefully fold into fourths. Transfer to tart pan and unfold, smoothing out any unevenness. Fold the overhanging crust inwards to create a double thick crust. Press crust into the side of the tart pan being sure crust reaches the top of the pan. Use water and your index finger to smooth out any uneven areas. Using a sharp knife, trim excess dough so that it doesn’t overlap on the base of the tart pan. Place in freezer.
  4. Bake pie. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Once preheated, place the tart pan in the oven. Carefully pull out the rack, making sure it’s still secured, and pour filling into the pan being careful not to spill. Slowly push the rack back into the oven. Add a baking sheet below to catch any overflow. Bake for 1 hour or until the middle barely jiggles. (Filling will swell around edges but flatten as it cools.) Bake for 10 minutes more if needed. Remove and allow to cool before serving.
  5. Make the topping. Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add in maple syrup and whip just until incorporated. Serve.

Notes

*You can find oat flour in most gluten-free baking sections of your grocery store. However, I typically make my own oat flour in a food processor.
**This pie is tested with fresh pumpkin puree. I imagine canned pumpkin will work just fine. Roasting your own pumpkin is easy. Follow these steps. This can be done in advance.

Save your sanity and make the crust a couple days in advanced. Follow step 1. Store covered in plastic wrap in the fridge. If you’re worried about other flavors from the fridge seeping into your crust, place in a ziplock bag. If making a larger tart, double the pie crust recipe and use the leftovers to make galettes.

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 post-diver

Are you as last minute as me and just now collecting your Thanksgiving recipes?

Here’s a couple to add to your list:

Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry Butter
Sparkling Cranberries
Make Ahead Wheat Rolls
Mashed Potatoes with Greek Yogurt
Mom’s Mac and Cheese
Green Bean Casserole
Acorn Squash Risotto
Pumpkin Oreo Tart
Apple Pie
Carrot Cake
Leftover Turkey Cranberry Sandwich

post-diver

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