Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Sweet Walnut Crust

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Piecrust

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts

1 cup graham-cracker crumbs

1/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar

5 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Set a rack to the second-to-bottom position.

Grind walnuts coarsely in a food processor. Add graham crumbs and sugar; then pulse to blend while drizzling in melted butter. Press into a 9-inch pie plate.

Bake 10–15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Piecrust can be made up to 3 weeks in advance and frozen.

Filling

Ingredients

1 tablespoon whiskey or brandy

1/4 cup milk

1 package powdered gelatin

2/3 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup pumpkin purée, fresh or canned

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon table salt

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

1 crust for a 9-inch pie (see recipe)

garnish: walnut halves

Instructions

In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart pot, whisk whiskey or brandy, milk, and gelatin together over low heat, continuously until gelatin is completely dissolved, 2–3 minutes. Whisk in brown sugar, then eggs one at a time; continue whisking over low heat (don’t let it come to a boil) as you add pumpkin, spices, and salt. Cook 5–7 minutes, until custard is smooth and steaming.

Turn off heat and transfer custard to a large ceramic bowl to cool at room temperature. Don’t refrigerate, because you don’t want the custard to firm up.

In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. When custard has cooled to room temperature (about 45 minutes), fold cream in gently. Fold filling into cooled pie shell; chill at least 2 hours. Garnish with walnut halves.

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