Smooth Pumpkin Pie Without Cracks

Before you start

Pumpkin pie is a baked custard, and custards crack when they overcook. Eggs set somewhere around 80°C (175°F); push them much past that and the proteins tighten, squeeze out moisture and split the surface into a canyon as the pie cools. The fix is a moderate oven, an early exit while the center still wobbles, and a slow cool away from drafts.

The other common complaint is a pale, soggy crust under a wet filling. Blind baking the shell until it is lightly golden, then sealing it with egg white, gives the custard a dry base to sit on. Warming the filling on the stove before pouring it in also helps: the custard starts setting from the bottom right away and spends less time in the oven. Use plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.

Ingredients

• Crust165 g (1⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter — cold, cubed
• 60–75 ml (4–5 tbsp) ice water
• 1 large egg white — lightly beaten, for sealing
• Filling425 g (15 oz can) pumpkin puree — plain, not pie filling
• 110 g (½ cup packed) dark brown sugar
• 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
• 120 ml (½ cup) whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Work the butter into the flour, salt and sugar until the pieces are pea-sized, then toss in ice water until the dough holds together. Shape a disk, wrap and chill for 1 hour.
2. Roll the dough to a 30 cm (12 in) circle, fit it into the plate, and crimp a high edge. Freeze for 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) with a rack in the lower third.
3. Line the frozen shell with parchment, fill to the rim with weights, and bake on a baking sheet for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edge is set and lightly colored. Lift out the weights, prick any bubbles, and bake 8 to 10 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry and pale gold. Brush the hot crust with egg white and return it to the oven for 1 minute to set the seal.
4. Reduce the oven to 165°C (325°F). While the crust bakes, combine the pumpkin, both sugars, the spices and salt in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mixture darkens slightly and thickens to a paste.
5. Off the heat, whisk in the cream and milk until smooth, then whisk in the eggs, yolk and vanilla. For the silkiest texture, push the filling through a sieve. It should be warm, not hot, to the touch.
6. Pour the warm filling into the warm crust on its baking sheet, filling to just below the rim.
7. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center 5 cm (2 in) still jiggles like gelatin when you nudge the pan. The center should read 78 to 80°C (172 to 176°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
8. Cool the pie on a rack away from drafts for 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours more. The center finishes setting as it cools.

Tips for success

• Shield the crust edge with a foil ring if it is already brown when the filling goes in.
• Fill the pie on the oven rack, or carry it on its baking sheet, to avoid slopping custard over the edge.
• Cooking the puree with sugar drives off water and deepens flavor, so the custard tastes more like pumpkin and less like canned squash.

Substitutions

Heavy cream and milk

Use one 354 ml (12 oz) can of evaporated milk. The pie tastes a little more caramelized and slightly less rich.

Canned pumpkin

Roast and puree sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, then strain it in a cheesecloth-lined sieve until it is as thick as canned puree. Watery homemade puree gives a loose custard.

Individual spices

Use 2½ tsp pumpkin pie spice in place of the four ground spices.

Variations

Maple pumpkin

Replace the brown sugar with 120 ml pure maple syrup and cook the puree 2 minutes longer to make up for the extra liquid.

Gingersnap crust

Press 180 g gingersnap crumbs mixed with 60 g melted butter into the plate and bake 10 minutes at 175°C (350°F) instead of using pastry.

Troubleshooting

A crack across the surface

The custard overbaked or cooled too quickly. Pull the pie when the center still wobbles and reads about 80°C, and let it cool slowly at room temperature before chilling. Whipped cream hides any crack that does appear.

Weepy liquid on top or a grainy texture

Both signal overcooking. Lower the oven temperature next time and start checking 10 minutes earlier.

Soggy, pale bottom crust

Blind bake until the bottom is dry and golden and seal it with egg white. A warm filling in a warm shell also shortens the bake.

Storage

Pumpkin pie contains eggs and dairy, so refrigerate it once cool and do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Covered, it keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. It can be made a day ahead; the crust softens slightly but the flavor improves.

Safety notes

Refrigerate the pie after cooling and within 2 hours of baking; egg dishes should not sit out longer. Do not taste the raw dough or the unbaked filling. Contains wheat, egg and milk.