posts may contain Amazon affiliate links, which earn me a small commission when you buy (but doesn't cost you anything extra). Occasionally I receive free products and/or run sponsored posts—this will always be stated clearly in the post. Thank you for supporting this blog.

This website contains some quotations, excerpts, and screen clips from copyrighted material. These uses fall well within the copyright doctrine of "Fair Use".
Saturday, November 26, 2011

Pumpkin Pie w/ Sesame Snaps

What are your must-have pies for Thanksgiving?  For me, it's just not the same if there's not at least a Pumpkin Pie and a Pecan Pie.  I like to add one or two extras to the mix every year, as well...just for variation.  Sometimes it's Bourbon Sweet Potato.  Occasionally it's a form of Apple (Crumb, Cheddar-Crust, Upside Down).  Once I made a killer Cranberry Tart.  Sometimes we do the Chocolate Pecan (...though, I prefer my Pecan to be left alone.  OH!  Unless it's the Rum Runner Pecan Pie I make sometimes.  That I'll take).  I've even done Buttermilk Pie in the past.  And every couple of years, some sort of harvesty cake makes its way into the mix.  I mentioned before that this is the first year that we didn't meet up with the extended family for our Turkey Day dinner...and in turn, I didn't need to make so many desserts.  The two pies that I did make were even a bit much.   But something inside won't let me make just one.  The one thing I'm bummed about is that I didn't make or even eat a slice of Pecan Pie this year.  Pecan prices are just too steep for me right now.  So I stuck with a Pumpkin and a fantastic Apple Cider Pie (watch for it...). I don't think I've ever made the same version Pumpkin twice.  I like mine thick and heavy on the spice, so I added some cardamom, allspice, and cloves in with the other spices.  I really enjoyed this cream cheese crust.  It didn't get soggy and it had a nice snap to it.  The fun part, though?  Definitely the shards of sesame seed snaps (brittle) strewn across the top.  It added a contrast in texture and a great hint of nuttiness to each bite.  This one will appear in the rotation quite often, me thinks.
Cream Cheese Crust
yield: 1 (9") pie crust

1¼ c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. sugar
½ tsp. salt
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) cold butter, cut in pieces
2 oz. cold cream cheese, cut in pieces
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2-4 Tbs. ice water

Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor.  Add butter and cream cheese and pulse until pea-sized.  Add vinegar and 2 Tbs. of icewater; pulse until dough holds together.  Add a bit more ice water, as needed until you can press dough together.  Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic and pat into a disk.  Chill at least 4 hours.
-------
Sesame Seed snaps

½ c. sugar
1 Tbs. water
1½ Tbs. sesame seeds, toasted
big pinch sea salt

Cook sugar and water over medium-high until amber, ~7 minutes.  Stir in sesame seeds and salt.  Immediately spread on a silpat, sheet of parchment (or greased foil); let cool completely, then break apart.  Store in a cool place in an airtight container until ready to use.
Pumpkin Pie w/ Sesame Snaps
yield: 1 (9") pie

1 recipe cream cheese crust
flour, for dusting
15 oz. pumpkin puree
1 c. evaporated milk
⅔ c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cardamom
⅛ tsp. ground allspice
small pinch ground cloves
a few good grates of nutmeg
1 recipe sesame seed snaps

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a 12" circle.  Gently drape it over a 9" pie plate.  Fit it in and tuck the overhand under itself.  Chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350° F.  

Prick bottom of crust with a fork.  Line with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake until edges are golden, ~20 minutes.  Remove beans and parchment and bake 10 minutes more.  Cool on a wire rack.

Whisk pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, and spices in a bowl; pour into par-baked shell.  Bake until center is just barely set, ~1 hour.  Cover edges with foil if they begin to get too dark.  Cool on a wire rack.

Sprinkle the shards of sesame seed snaps over the pie just before serving.  note: If you don't think the whole pie will get eaten right away, then I recommend only sprinkling them on the individual slices.  If you sprinkle it over the whole pie, then wrap up the remainder for later, the shards will turn back into a syrup that sits on the top of the pie and eventually sinks in.

*This pie was adapted from 50 Pies insert of Food Network Magazine (Nov. '11)
I am sharing this post with:
weekend cooking SweetToothFriday sweets for a saturday

Would you like to comment?

  1. okay this rocks!! My family would love this!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, that's using your noggin' I had to make a pecan, can't do without it but I made a raw pumpkin pie and watching the faces at thanksgiving dinner tasting it for the first time was piceless. My m-in-law said to me "so is this some kind of chiffon pie" with a weird look on her face....oy vey ;/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mexico in my kitchenDecember 22, 2011 at 9:34 AM

    I am already thinking in the crunchy feeling of the sesame seeds and the creamy texture of the pumpkin in my mouth.
    What a re great idea. Great recipe Heather.
    Thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I didn't make a pumpkin pie this year and now I'm kind of wishing I had.  Specifically...this one.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very interesting and I love the look of it.  Great recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sesame snaps! What a good idea. Looks delicious.

    http://www.thegirlieblog.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cream cheese crust! I love Cream Cheese! Looks beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. ChocolateandcroissantsDecember 22, 2011 at 9:34 AM

    Even though this pie looks delicous I was most fascinated by your pinching of the crust.  I forgot that is what my mum would do.  I could win the worse pie crust maker away.

    ReplyDelete
  9. caite@a lovely shore breezeDecember 22, 2011 at 9:34 AM

    I love the idea of that sesame snaps...copying that one down...

    ReplyDelete
  10. I don't think I've ever had a cream cheese crust before, but it sounds like a delicious compelement to the pumpkin. Ditto the sesame snaps.

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's a gorgeous pie, and very interesting one as well
    I loooooooove the idea of cream cheese in the crust - it's new to me, and the sesame on top - woooooowwwwww!
    You are so creative and original!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Heather, you are so creative! A different crust, filling, and topping - all three are new to me and you put them all together in a great looking pie. Good for you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have never tried pumpkin pie before, but it must be delicious with all those spices. Your sesame crips were inspired :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. This looks divine!  Also curious about the cream cheese crust!  I always use a similar pumpkin pie recipe, but I'm gonna give this one a whirl this season!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sheila (Book Journey)December 22, 2011 at 9:34 AM

    The cream cheese crust caught my attention :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I imagine I could even use the store bought sesame snaps that I have had since I was a kidlet on top of this gorgeous pie!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Looks great, and the sesame snaps sound like they'd be good on lots of other things.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a wonderful festive pie. Hope you're having a fabulous thanksgiving with your family. Enjoy & have loads of fun.
    Blessings, Kristy

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love the idea of the sesame on the pumpkin pie. I make the same pumpkin every year and always get glowing compliments. I do however vary the second dessert: pecan pie, apple pie, cheesecake, fruit crisp -- whatever captures my fancy. This year, though, my husband asked for two pumpkin pies, which is what I made.

    ReplyDelete