Don't miss out on this seasonal favorite! Pumpkin pie is easy to make gluten-free, even with a homemade crust.
Instructions
1
Mix dry ingredients
2
In a large bowl, combine flour, almonds, sugar, salt and xanthan gum.
3
Work in the butter
4
Cut in the butter until most of the mix is crumbly (think of wet sand on a beach), with some larger, pebble-sized pieces of butter remaining. The larger pieces will make the pastry extra flaky. Stir in the egg. Mix until the egg is fully incorporated into the dough.
5
Slowly add water
6
Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork to distribute the moisture without overworking the dough. (Unlike gluten-containing pastry, over-mixing the dough won't lead to a tough, chewy crust. But it will break down those lovely big bits of butter you've got, which will make the crust less flaky.) As soon as the dough holds together when pressed, stop adding water, even if it's not uniformly solid. Portions might even look a bit crumbly. This will make for a lighter, more tender pastry.
7
Wrap and chill
8
Shape the dough into a disk, pressing any loose or crumbly pieces into the rest of the dough. This should help the dough adhere, but wet your fingertips and sprinkle a bit of water on it if it's truly not coming together. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. A well-made pastry will have visible "marbling" of butter bits. Refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight. This will allow the dry ingredients to fully absorb the liquid, and the butter to get cold again.
9
Preheat oven to 350°F. Dust your countertop, a cutting board or other work surface lightly with flour; make sure to use gluten-free flour, either an all-purpose blend or plain rice flour. Roll the dough to a 1/8-inch-thick circle. It should be about one to two inches wider than the pie plate. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Many bakers like to roll the pastry around the rolling pin, gently lift and unroll over the pan. Others opt for a foolproof method: Roll the dough on plastic wrap, lift the wrap, invert over the pan and gently peel the plastic wrap away. Test Kitchen Tip: Did the pastry get rubbery or melty as you worked? Return it to the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to firm it back up.
10
Flute the crust
11
Trim the crust to 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the pie pan. With your thumb and finger, flute the edge to make a decorative pie crust.
12
Make the filling
13
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the cream, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, ginger and cloves. Mix well. Stir in the pumpkin just until blended.
14
Carefully pour the filling into the crust. (It might splatter if you go too fast!) Set the pie plate on a baking sheet, and carefully place in the oven. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. If the crust edges are browning too quickly, cover the top of the pie with aluminum foil. Cool on wire rack until the pie is room temperature, then store it in the fridge until ready to serve.
