Perfect Pumpkin Pie

I cannot get enough pumpkin these days. Our kitchen has a constant lingering pumpkin scent from all of the pumpkin baked goods I've been making. Pumpkin scones, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin bread pudding, pumpkin spice cake with brown butter frosting. Yum. And now that Thanksgiving is approaching, I get to make pumpkin pie!

What is your perfect pumpkin pie?

Mine is made of flaky, buttery crust that crumbles and almost melts in your mouth. It has a creamy, light pumpkin filling that is full of spice. And it is topped with homemade whipped cream.

After many attempts at pumpkin pie, and many different recipes, I have decided that the following is my go-to recipe. This is the classic pumpkin pie, with a great crust and perfect filling. I suggest you double the recipe and make two pies, because one is simply not enough.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

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Pie Crust

1 1/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons ice-cold

1/2 cup shortening

In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a fork, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-sized. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened. Form dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll the pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edges as desired.

Pumpkin Pie

1 recipe Pie Crust (above)

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 slightly beaten eggs

3/4 cup half-and-half

Prepare pie crust (see recipe above), and set aside. For filling, in a medium bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Add eggs; beat lightly with a fork just until combined. Gradually add half-and-half; stir until combined. Place the pastry-lined pie plate on the oven rack. Carefully pour filling into the pastry shell. To prevent overflowing, cover edge of the pie with foil. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake about 25 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.