Email to Cat      

White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

Source of Recipe

From "Back Around the Table" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"Attention, pumpkin pie lovers! While pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving holiday mainstay, get ready to enjoy a new twist on this American classic. The idea for this pie came to me while I was browsing around my local wine and spirits store and found a bottle of white chocolate liqueur. Since white chocolate is high on my list of foods I can't live without, I decided to combine this liqueur with a favorite holiday tradition. I hope this pie becomes as much of a new tradition in your house as it is in mine."

List of Ingredients

Crust:
â—¦ 30 small gingersnaps (about 1 ½ cups crumbs)
â—¦ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
â—¦ Pinch of table salt
â—¦ 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
â—¦ 3 large eggs
â—¦ 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
â—¦ ½ cup heavy cream
â—¦ ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
â—¦ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
â—¦ ½ teaspoon table salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground ginger
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Topping:
â—¦ 4 ounces white chocolate
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream
â—¦ 3 tablespoons white chocolate liqueur
â—¦ White chocolate shavings and finely crushed gingersnaps



Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

To make the crust, put the gingersnaps, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process until the cookies are the consistency of sand. Add the melted butter and pulse 3 or 4 times. Pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and press evenly on the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes. Let the crust cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

To make the filling, lightly whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the pumpkin, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared piecust. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a knife inserted into the filling comes out almost clean. If the edges are becoming too dark after 20 to 25 minutes, cover with aluminum foil. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the topping, melt the white chocolate in a saucepan.
Put the cream and white chocolate liqueur in the bowl of a standing mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Put 2 tablespoons whipped cream into the saucepan with the white chocolate and mix well. Pour the white chocolate mixture into the saucepan into the bowl with the whipped cream and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

Decorate the circumference of the pie with the whipped cream, reserving what is leftover for the whipped cream, reserving what is left for the garnish.

Sprinkle the white chocolate shavings and crushed gingersnaps in the center of the pie. Serve each slice with a hearty dollop of the remaining white chocolate whipped cream.

Makes 8 servings