Equipment
Ingredients
Pie Shell
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 115 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 2 g salt
- 30 ml ice water
Pecan Praline Base
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 30 ml heavy cream
- 120 g pecans, finely chopped
Pumpkin Custard
- 425 g pumpkin puree
- 240 ml heavy cream
- 150 g light brown sugar, packed
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 5 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground ginger
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 2 g salt
Maple Mascarpone Mousse
- 225 g mascarpone cheese, cold
- 120 ml heavy cream, cold
- 60 ml maple syrup
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 795 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 67 g
- Fat
- 60 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 41 g
- Sodium
- 260 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 31 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 16 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 172 mg
- Potassium
- 332 mg
- Calcium
- 176 mg
- Iron
- 2.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 46 mg
- Phosphorus
- 154 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 945 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 26 mcg
- Water
- 103 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add ice water until the dough just holds together when pinched.
Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to hydrate the flour and relax the gluten.
Roll the chilled dough to a 3mm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing gently into the corners and crimping the edges.
Place the lined pie dish in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up the butter, which prevents the crust from shrinking during the blind bake.
Line the frozen crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake at 190°C/375°F for 20 minutes until the edges are pale golden, then carefully remove the weights.
For the praline layer, melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbling and thoroughly combined.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and briskly stir in the heavy cream and finely chopped pecans until evenly coated.
Spread the warm praline mixture in an even, compact layer across the bottom of the pre-baked pie shell.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until the custard is completely homogeneous.
Gently pour the spiced pumpkin custard directly over the praline layer, taking care not to disturb the nuts beneath.
Bake the pie at 160°C/320°F for 45 to 50 minutes. The pie is done when the edges are set and slightly puffed, but the center still retains a slight jiggle.
Transfer the pie to a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool completely to room temperature, which prevents condensation from forming during refrigeration.
Chill the cooled pie in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to fully set the custard, ensuring clean slices.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cold mascarpone, heavy cream, and maple syrup until medium-stiff peaks form.
Spoon or pipe the maple mascarpone cream in a thick, even layer over the entire surface of the chilled pie, completing the third layer.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve impeccably clean slices with distinct layers, wipe your knife with a warm, damp cloth between every single cut.
- If your pie crust edges begin to brown too quickly during the 160°C bake, gently tent the edges with a ring of aluminum foil.
- Do not over-whip the mascarpone mixture; mascarpone has a high fat content and can curdle quickly if beaten past stiff peaks.
- For the smoothest pumpkin texture, process your pureed pumpkin and heavy cream in a blender for 30 seconds before whisking with the remaining ingredients.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store loosely covered to prevent condensation. The mascarpone layer may weep slightly after the second day.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze the pie without the mascarpone topping for best textural results. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before topping.
Troubleshooting
Deep cracks on the surface of the pumpkin custard
Cause: The custard was overbaked or cooled too rapidly in a drafty environment
Fix: Cosmetic cracks are entirely concealed by the thick maple mascarpone topping layer
Prevention: Remove the pie from the oven while the center is still wobbly, as carryover cooking will set it perfectly
Praline base is rock hard and difficult to cut
Cause: The caramel mixture was boiled for too long on the stove before adding the cream
Fix: Serve the pie slightly warmer or use a sharp, hot knife run under boiling water to glide through the bottom layer
Prevention: Only heat the butter and sugar until just melted and bubbling, then immediately remove from heat
Cultural Context
Pumpkin pie has evolved substantially since early American colonial adaptations of savory European squashes. By layering a Southern-inspired pecan praline beneath the custard and crowning it with an Italian-influenced mascarpone cream, this recipe bridges distinct regional traditions, elevating the Thanksgiving standard into a multi-textural centerpiece.
