Pumpkin pie, re-envisioned

     I shared a fantastic meal with friends the other day.  My friend Kit puts on what I like to call the first seasonal social event (followed by The Night of Beef and Robert Burns Night).  It used to be timed more closely with Halloween, when our kids were young.  We would carve pumpkins and eat spaghetti.  The pumpkin carving has gone by the wayside, and besides, Kit was in the middle of a kitchen remodel.
      Said remodel being nearly complete, she forged ahead and put on a big pasta feed.  We still feed the kids first.  They may be taller than many of us now, but stuffing us all at the same table is challenging.  Besides, they would rather wolf their food down and evaporate into the basement anyway.   I am guessing the art of lingering over your food, and having a real conversation is a skill not yet fully developed.
     We still have the noodles, and a fantastic zesty sauce that Kit makes.  We started adding a more, shall we say, paleo focussed alternative to the pasta a few years ago.  Now, the big bowl of spaghetti squash and bowl of zucchini noodles is just as popular, if not more, than the pasta.  I love it.
     I volunteered for the dessert option.  We aren't completely ascetic after all.  I was looking a pumpkin in the eye, but couldn't quite muster the interest in a gluten free pie crust.  Not to worry!  Personally, I prefer the filling over the crust anyway.
     There aren't too many recipes out there for pumpkin custard.  However, let's think this through:  Custard is a mixture of milk, cream, eggs, the same ingredients as in pumpkin pie!  Generally, I find the pie to be more dense.  That could be easily remedied with extra cream and an extra egg.
     I thus took the filling recipe for my favorite pie, and did some alterations.  Richard Sax wrote one of my favorite dessert cookbooks, Classic Home Desserts.  I am sure he would be one of our food luminaries today, were he still alive.  His recipe creates a lighter pie, without being too heavy on the spices.
      He also does the obvious, and recommends making your own pumpkin puree.  After all, why not?  I hate to buy what I can easily make myself, and this is a classic example.  Bake, puree, poof!
      Then, mix all the ingredients, pour into your neighbor's custard cups/short canning jars (because I lacked the requisite number, and these felt so whimsical) and bake.  It was easier than.....wait for it....pie!

Pumpkin Custard

Serves 8-12

Adapted from Best Ever Pumpkin Pie, by Richard Sax

1 sugar pie pumpkin, approx 2-3 lbs,

  (halved, baked until tender, seeds removed and pureed in a food processor with approx 1/2 c water)

2/3 c packed light brown sugar

1/3 c white sugar

1 T cornstarch

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 t ginger

1/4 t allspice (unless you are my friend Katie, who hates allspice, then use pinch of cloves)

pinch of freshly ground pepper

1 1/4 c cream

1/2 c milk

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 T bourbon or rum

1 1/2 t vanilla

1.  Bake the pumpkin, cool slightly, puree until smooth.   You should have 2 cups.  If you have more, it freezes well for a future pie.  Leave the oven on at 400F.

2.  Mix pumpkin with sugars.  

3.  In a separate small bowl, mix cornstarch, spices and salt together, then stir into the pumpkin mix.

4.  Add the remaining ingredients. 

5.  Pour into custard cups, coffee cups or short squat canning jars, approx 2/3 -3/4 full.

6.  Place cups in a large 9 x 13 pan, you may need 2.  Pour hot water into the pan to come up the sides of the cups about half way.  I find this easier to do once the pans are in the oven, to avoid sloshing.

7.  Bake approx 30 min, or until slightly jiggly in the center, remove and let cool.  

8.  Options for serving:  whipped cream, or if you have one of this blow torch things, brûlée them!  

Notes:  this recipe easily doubles.    These keep well for a couple days, although they are best on the day they are made.   Don't make the mistake of using a halloween pumpkin for this recipe, they are bred for size, not flavor.  However, another squash could likely be substituted if a pumpkin is not available.