Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Recipe from Lee Bailey’s Country Desserts

For the crust:

2 cups finely crushed gingersnap cookies

2-3 tablespoons sugar (depending on the sweetness of the cookies

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 cup evaporated milk

2 cups solid-pack canned pumpkin

¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Pinch of salt

2 large eggs, separated at room temperature

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the topping:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 tablespoon bourbon

Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Very heavily butter a 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.

Combine the crumbs, sugar and salt in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and toss with a fork until crumbs are moistened. Press mixture evenly into the buttered pie pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Whisk the gelatin into the evaporated milk and set aside to soften. In a large saucepan (nonstick if possible), combine pumpkin, brown sugar and salt. Place over moderate heat and cook until warmed through. Add the milk mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Beat the yolks in a small bowl. Add about 1/3 cup of the pumpkin mixture and stir to warm the yolks. Then add the yolks to the saucepan and stir over moderately-low heat until well blended. Add the spices and cook, stirring, until very thick, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Place a round of wax paper directly on the surface and let cool to room temperature. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar and continue to beat until stiff. Fold the whites into the pumpkin mixture just until no white streaks show. Top with a round of wax paper and refrigerate until well chilled.

Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until the soft peaks form. Add the bourbon and continue whipping until the cream holds a firm peak.

To serve, mound the filling into the crust and smooth the top. Pile the whipped cream on top and serve at once.