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Recipe: Combine three favorite New England ingredients in this maple-walnut pumpkin pie

Maple-walnut pumpkin pieKaroline Boehm Goodnick for the Boston Globe

Makes one 9-inch pie

Two fillings go into this holiday favorite: a spiced pumpkin-custard, sweetened with maple syrup, and a thin layer of sugared walnuts. Serve the pie with generous dollops of whipped cream.

PASTRY

1cup flour
1tablespoon granulated sugar
¼teaspoon salt
5tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
3tablespoons ice water mixed with ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
Extra flour (for sprinkling)

1. Have on hand a 9-inch pie pan.

2. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt to sift them. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles crumbs.

3. Add the vinegar mixture and pulse just until the mixture holds together. If necessary, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.

4. On a lightly floured counter, shape the dough into a flat disc. Wrap in foil and refrigerate for 2 hours.

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5. On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough to a 12-inch round. Lift it onto the rolling pin and ease it into the pan. Fold the overhang under like a hem and press the rim so it is ¼-inch high. Prick the bottom well all over. Freeze for 20 minutes.

6. Set the oven at 375 degrees.

7. Line the pastry with foil and fill it with dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully lift out the foil and beans. Continue baking for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden. (Total baking time is 25 minutes.) Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

FILLING

½cup walnuts, chopped
7tablespoons granulated sugar
2tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2eggs, at room temperature
cup maple syrup
¾teaspoon ground cinnamon
½teaspoon ground ginger
¼teaspoon ground nutmeg
1cup canned pumpkin
¾cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1cup chilled heavy cream, softly beaten with 2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar (for serving)

1. In a bowl, toss the walnuts, 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and the light brown sugar to combine them. Sprinkle the walnut mixture on the bottom of the crust.

2. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs, the remaining 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until evenly blended. With the mixer set at its lowest speed, blend in the pumpkin and ¾ cup cream.

3. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake the pie for 45 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.

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4. Set the pie on a wire rack to cool. Serve with softly whipped cream. Jean Kressy


Jean Kressy can be reached at jeankressy@comcast.net.