Hello Pumpkin! Pumpkin Maple pie with maple pecan topping

When I was a kid I wouldn’t eat pumpkin pie, my grandma always had Entenmanns (Ack! Store bought, mass produced) pumpkin pies at the Thanksgiving table, it looked gross to me, and I wasn’t having any part of that crap.

Move ahead a few years to the first time I made Thanksgiving and the very first time I made a pumpkin pie (because, really, what is Thanksgiving without a pumpkin and a pecan pie on the table?) I wasn’t going to just make any run of the mill pumpkin pie.. It had to be special..with some Ashley Pizzaz..

This is the pie that I made.. And that I have continued to make for the past 12 years


Pumpkin Maple Pie with Pecan topping

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold butter or margarine
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1/3 cup maple syrup

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/3 cup corn syrup
1-1/2 cups pecan halves

1. Heat oven to 425°F..

2. Combine flour and salt in large bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in water with fork until flour is just moistened.

3. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough into 9-inch pie pan; unfold, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to 1/2 inch from edge of pan. Crimp or flute edge. Set aside.

4. In bowl, combine sugar, salt, and spice. Whisk in eggs, pumpkin, half-and-half, and maple syrup. Pour into unbaked pie shell, and bake 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 350°F, and bake pie 45 minutes more, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

5. In a large saucepan, combine sugars and corn syrup. Place over medium heat and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3-1/2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Evenly spoon over warm pie filling. Place in center of preheated broiler rack. Watch carefully and only broil until the topping bubbles. It will happen quickly! Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Pie can be served warm or at room temperature.

Refrigerate leftovers for up to two days.(HA! Like it ever lasts that long!)