Recipe of the Month : Pumpkin and White Chocolate Pie

Pumpkin and White Chocolate Pie

 

800g butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped

1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

50g butter, chopped

100g white chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg, plus 2 extra egg yolks

200g brown sugar

250g sour cream

Pastry

375g (2 ½ cups) plain flour

55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

250g cold unsalted butter, cut into 2cm pieces

60ml (1/4 cup) apple cider vinegar mixed with 125ml (1/2 cup) cold water and 4 ice cubes

 

To make the pastry, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter pieces and toss to coat. Turn out onto a clean work surface and, using a butter knife, roughly cut the butter into the flour, leaving some large chunks of butter in the mixture.

Create a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the vinegar water in 3 batches, working it in with your hands to form a rough dough. Shape into a rough disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 3 hours.

 

 

Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness off 3mm thick. Line the base and sides of a 24cm metal pie dish. Trim the edges or crimp and refrigerate for a further hour.

 

Meanwhile, Preheat oven to 200°C. Place pumpkin on a baking paper-lined baking tray with vanilla pod and seeds and butter, and toss to combine. Roast for 1 hour or until tender. Place hot pumpkin mixture in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add chocolate and process until melted and combined. Add ground ginger, egg and egg yolk, brown sugar and sour cream, and process until very smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

 

Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with baking beads or rice. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is light golden. Remove the paper and beads and cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until the pastry base is dry to touch. Set aside to cool slightly.

 

Reduce oven to 160°C. Pour pumpkin mixture into pie shell and bake for 1 hour or until just set. Cool to room temperature. Chill for 3 hours or until cold.

 

Image and Styling: Kirsten Jenkins

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