Brandied Pumpkin and Chestnut Pie

Brandied Pumpkin and Chestnut Pie
Francesco Tonelli for The New York Times
Total Time
2 hours 15 minutes
Rating
4(323)
Comments
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This is quite possibly the best pumpkin pie recipe out there. Why? It's got two layers (chestnut and pumpkin), and it calls for fresh squash in lieu of the canned stuff (although canned works just fine, too). We've heard from readers that people who think they don't like pumpkin pie love this one. And don't fret: You don't make the chestnut paste, you buy it. It's available online and at most specialty markets.

Featured in: Heaven in a Pie Pan: The Perfect Crust

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Ingredients

Yield:One 9-inch single pie, 8 servings
  • 1small sugar pumpkin or medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks; or 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
  • 6tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2tablespoons granulated sugar
  • cups heavy cream
  • 3eggs
  • ½cup light brown sugar
  • 3tablespoons good brandy, such as Cognac
  • teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½teaspoon salt
  • ¼teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • ¾cup sweetened chestnut paste (such as crème de marrons)
  • 1pre-baked 9-inch pie crust (see recipe)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

483 calories; 31 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 304 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, toss pumpkin with butter and granulated sugar. Arrange on a baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, until caramelized and very soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool (this can be done up to 5 days ahead).

  2. Step 2

    Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Purée pumpkin in a food processor or blender. In a bowl, combine 1 cup purée with 1 cup cream. Save any leftover purée for another use: it freezes well. Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, brandy, ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in pumpkin mixture.

  3. Step 3

    In a separate bowl, combine chestnut paste with remaining ¼ cup cream. Spread chestnut mixture in pie crust. Top with pumpkin filling.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer pie to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until pie is firm to the touch but jiggles slightly when moved, about 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

Ratings

4 out of 5
323 user ratings
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Comments

I've made this pumpkin pie every year since the recipe was published. This year, for the first time, I couldn't find canned creme de marrons in the usual store. I had no time to search, so I made my own using pre-cooked chestnuts and an online recipe. (There are many.) It was fast, easy, less sweet than the canned version, and tasted much more like chestnuts. A definite improvement.

Freezing generally isn't a good idea with custard pies (like this one) because the custard will weep and both the filling and crust texture will suffer. Pie shells freeze well, and so does squash puree. How about freezing the pie shell and freezing the seasoned filling (with everything BUT the eggs) uncooked and then defrosting and combining (plus the eggs) when you need pie?

If using canned pumpkin purée, do you still mix with the butter and sugar? Thanks you!

Not worth the effort. I liked the filling, but couldn't taste the chestnuts.

This was delightful! I made my own chestnut butter using packaged chestnuts, water and simple syrup. Because I was short on cream, I used milk in step 3. When it came out of the oven the bottom side of the crust was dens and soggy. I first thought that the heat was too low, as I've never cooked a pie at 300 degrees. But, realized it might have been the milk.

Reading the others notes I made the chestnut paste. Its is fabulous and has many uses. That said, my homemade version over powered the pumpkin so I would try the pre-made chestnut paste if I were to bake this again.

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