If you're tired of traditional pumpkin pie, this velvety smooth pumpkin chiffon pie is the cure for that. Light and fluffy and topped with meringue, it's a slice of fall with every piece.
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ginger (optional)
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
½ cup milk
1 ¼ cup canned pumpkin
2 egg whites
¼ cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream, whipped
½ cup chopped, toasted almonds
1 baked 9-inch meringue shell
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 275 degrees. Beat 4 egg whites until stiff, gradually add sugar and cream of tartar. Spoon 8 tiny mounds onto heavy brown paper or aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. Spread remaining mixture onto bottom and sides of lightly greased 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven, allow to cool.
2. Combine gelatin, brown sugar, salt, and spices in top of double boiler.
3. Stir in egg yolks, milk, and pumpkin. Cook over hot water 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; chill until slightly thickened.
4. Beat egg whites until foamy; add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition; continue beating until stiff peaks form; fold into pumpkin mixture.
5. Fold in whipped cream and almonds. Turn into cooled meringue shells. Chill about 2-3 hours, or until firm. Garnish with meringue mounds.
Other Pumpkin Treats to Try
There's no denying that pumpkin is a quintessential part of fall. Pumpkin pie is only one of the ways to enjoy pumpkin. If you want to switch things up, try pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin muffins, or pumpkin fudge. You can make a pumpkin version of basically any dessert you can think of. Consider throwing a dinner party around all pumpkin foods!
Did you know that you can actually make pumpkin chili or pumpkin ravioli? Getting creative with this fall ingredient is actually pretty easy. If your family carves pumpkins for Halloween, save the guts for use in recipes. Or, you can grab some canned pumpkin from the store. Whichever you choose, there are plenty of options for making some delicious dishes.
Being adventurous will introduce you to some great recipes beyond the typical pumpkin pie. Have your kids help you cook these new recipes; you'll all create some great memories together, and your kids will have the opportunity to learn some useful life skills!
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com.