Holiday Perfection: Trellis Pastry Chef's Signature Pumpkin Pie Recipe!

Every year, I have the honor of bringing the pies to the Thanksgiving table, a tradition that always brings me joy. There's something special about making this classic dessert, especially since it's both simple and delicious.

The best part? If you have your ingredients prepped, you can whip it up in under an hour, even when you're pressed for time. But this isn't your typical pumpkin pie. Say goodbye to canned pumpkin—this recipe calls for homemade pumpkin purée, made by roasting your own pie pumpkins. And here's the secret ingredient: black pepper. It adds a surprising kick to the pie, a flavor boost you didn't know you needed until you taste it.

How to Roast Pumpkins

Roasting your own pumpkins is easy and adds a rich, fresh flavor to your pumpkin purée.

Ingredients:

• 1 or more small pie pumpkins (often labeled as "sugar pumpkins")

• Olive oil (optional)

• Salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven: Set to 375°F.

2. Prepare the Pumpkins: Wash pumpkins to remove any dirt. Cut off the stem, then slice in half from top to bottom. Optionally, slice into quarters for easier seed removal.

3. Remove the Seeds: Use a spoon to scrape out seeds and stringy fibers. Save the seeds for roasting if desired!

4. Optional - Season the Flesh: For added flavor, drizzle cut sides with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

5. Roast the Pumpkins: Place pumpkin halves cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Roast for 45-60 minutes, until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork.

6. Cool and Scoop: Let pumpkins cool enough to handle. Scoop out the soft flesh, discarding the skin.

7. Purée the Pumpkin: In a food processor or blender, pulse the roasted pumpkin flesh until smooth.

Pumpkin Pie:

Ingredients:

• Homemade pie dough or store bought. Enough dough to cover a 9 inch pie tin or plate.

• 425g homemade pumpkin purée

• 3 large eggs -250g light or dark brown sugar

• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1/4 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 240ml or 1 cup heavy cream

• 60ml or 1/4 cup whole milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin purée, eggs and brown sugar and mix using a whisk until well combined.

3. Once you're done, whisk in your heavy cream, whole milk and vanilla extract.

4. Sift in your cornstarch, spices and salt and whisk in until all ingredients are incorporated into your mixture.

5. Pour pumpkin pie filling into your prepared pie crust and bake until the center is almost set, about 50-55 min. It should jiggle a bit like jell-o but not ripple in the center.

6. When your pie is finished baking you can pull it out of the oven and let it cool on the counter until ready to serve or once cooled, set it in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Caydee,

Trellis’ Pastry Chef