mini pecan pumpkin pies
I never really experienced the full effects of Fall until I moved to the east coast 4 years ago. Seeing the Fall foliage was one thing, but meeting my boyfriend and going back to his parents' and tasting east coast Fall flavors, was whole another. Though my own mom always cooks up amazing homemade spreads (seriously, a feast every time I go home), she never served pumpkin pie. So through my lack of trying, I always thought I didn't like the taste of pumpkin. But after a visit to Zach's hometown a few years ago where I tried his mom's home-baked pumpkin pies, I was immediately hooked.
So, since both Zach and I live a good distance away from our families, I put together this little treat to remind him of home, family, and also to celebrate the beginning of his favorite season. And even though we're (now) both pumpkin-lovers, we would never consume an entire pie, so I broke down a few different recipes and came up with these pie bites, where each bite has a crust (my favorite part), and then I compartmentalized the recipe below so it can be easily stored in the freezer for future use.
Mini Pecan Pumpkin Pies Makes two dozen
Ingredients - 1 sugar pumpkin - Sugar - Ground clove - Cinnamon - Unsalted butter - Flour - Half and half - Pecans - Brown Sugar - Heavy Cream
Preheat oven to 400. {Make the pumpkin puree} Cut off the top if there is a stem attached, then cut pumpkin in half, and remove seeds (I used an ice cream scoop). Place pumpkin open-face down in a pan filled with 1-inch of water. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until tender.
While pumpkin is roasting, prepare the crust. Collect ingredients: 2 1/2 cup flour | 1 tbsp cinnamon | 1/4 tsp ground clove | 2 sticks of very cold butter, cubed | 1/4 cup of sugar.
In a large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, clove, sugar, salt. Dice two sticks of very cold unsalted butter and place into bowl. Using the flat beater (mixer), food processor, or pastry blender, mix until butter is into pea size pieces, stop, add 1/3 cup of ice cold water, mix/ pulse for another minute. Gather dough together, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. ** This recipe will give you excess pie crust, store unused dough in the fridge for up to a week, or freezer for 3 months. **
Return to pumpkin puree. Remove pumpkin from oven, let cool. Then, scrape meat from rind and place into a blender/ food processor. Blend until pumpkin is smooth. Set aside.
Remove pie crust from fridge. Dust a surface with a bit of flour, roll out crust (doesn't have to be even), then using a a round cookie cutter or the top of a cup/ bowl, punch out circular shapes. Mold crust into ungreased cupcake tin, pinch rim to create design (optional). Cut 2-inch square parchment paper, fit into each crust in the cupcake tin, place pie weights (dry beans can be used as substitute). Bake Crust for 10-15 minutes.
While crust is baking, prepare filling. Collect ingredients: Homemade Pumpkin Puree | 2 tbsp cinnamon | 1/4 tsp clove | 1 cup half and half | 3 eggs with yolk. Whisk together pumpkin puree, cinnamon, clove, half and half, eggs until well combined.
Remove crust from oven and fill each pie crust, bake for 30 minutes. Remove, let cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.
While pie is cooking, make pecan topping. Collect ingredients: 3 tbsp unsalted butter | 1/4 cup brown sugar | 2 tbsp cup heavy cream | 1/4 cup chopped pecans. In a saucepan on medium-high, add butter and brown sugar and combine till smooth. Add cream and pecans, and constantly stir until for 1-2 more minutes. Turn off heat, set aside to cool for 1 minute. Top each pie with with pecan mixture, and serve.
