Pumpkin Chai Mini Pies
Pumpkin pie shouldn't be limited to the Thanksgiving table; it also makes a super seasonal treat to serve friends and family all autumn. In this version, the mini pies have the warm, fragrant flavors of chai: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves. Replace the cardamom with 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg for a more traditional pumpkin pie flavor profile.
Ingredients:
- 2 rolled-out rounds basic pie dough
- 1 can (15 oz./470 g) pumpkin puree
- 1 cup (7 oz./220 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbs. cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
- 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving
Directions:
Lightly coat 24 standard muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Using a 4-inch (10-cm) round cutter, cut out 24 rounds and fit them into the prepared muffin cups, gathering the scraps of dough and rerolling as needed. Trim the edges if necessary, leaving a 1/4-inch (6-mm) overhang. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C).
Bake the crusts until dry to the touch and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Leave the oven on.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and brown sugar. Add the cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and salt and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs and whisk until combined. Add the cream and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Divide the filling among the crusts.
Bake until the filling is set, 30 to 35 minutes, covering the edges with aluminum foil if they brown too quickly. Let cool completely on wire racks before serving. Serve each mini pie with a dollop of whipped cream. Makes 24 mini pies.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma The Pie Cookbook (Weldon Owen, 2016)
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