Before I get into the
usual WTFs and a WOW recipe routine for the day, I wanted to briefly say
something about voting. For all the
negativity on both sides over the recent election, I hope at least some people
took a minute to reflect on the fact that we actually have the right to
vote. It truly is a privilege and, in
the case of many groups, a hard-earned right.
Sometimes an image from the past helps put things in perspective. This image shows suffragette Ernestine Mills receiving a beat down for attempting to vote in 1872.
And now back to our
regularly scheduled programming…
Williams-Sonoma’s
Pecan Pumpkin Butter Pie with Cinnamon-Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
2 rolled out rounds of
pie dough
4 eggs
2 cups Muirhead pecan
pumpkin butter
2 cups evaporated milk
1 egg plus 1 tsp
water, lightly beaten
For the
cinnamon-caramel sauce
¾ cup sugar
2 tbsp water
¾ cup heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Preparation
Remove 1 dough round
from the refrigerator. Transfer to a 9
inch deep-dish pie dish and gently press into the dish. Trim the edges, leaving a ½ inch
overhang. Fold under the excess dough
and decoratively flute the edges. Using
a fork, gently poke holes in several places on the bottom of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 15
minutes.
Remove the other dough
round from the refrigerator and cut out shapes using decorative pie
cutters. Refrigerate the cutouts until
ready to use.
Place a cookie sheet
on a rack in the lower third of the oven.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line the piecrust with
parchment and fill with pie weights. Place
the pie dish on the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights
and continue baking until the crust is light golden brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool
for 15 minutes before filling the pie shell.
Reduce the oven temp
to 325 degrees.
In a large bowl,
gently whisk the eggs. Add the pecan
pumpkin butter and evaporated milk and whisk until well combined. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Brush the underside of the cutouts with egg
wash and arrange them on the pie.
Bake until the center
of the pie is set. 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours,
covering the edges with foil if they begin to brown too quickly. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool
for at least four hours.
To make the
cinnamon-caramel sauce, in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the
sugar and water. Cook until the mixture
turns amber, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon during the first 1 to
2 minutes of cooking, but do not stir after this point; instead, tip the pan occasionally
to ensure even cooking. Do not allow the
sugar to burn.
Remove the pan from
the heat. In the measuring cup with a
pouring spout, whisk together the cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Carefully pour the cream mixture into the hot
syrup using pot holders. Stir until the
sauce is smooth and blended. Keep warm
until ready to serve.
To serve, cut the pie
into slices and drizzle with the caramel sauce.
