Caramel Pumpkin Pie with Rosemary Crust

By: Irvin Lin


  • Yield: 2 pies, 8 slices each (16 Servings)
  • Cuisine: American
  • Course: Dessert


Ingredients

Crust:

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 cups cold unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • 1/3 cup ice-cold water

Pie filling:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs

Directions

  1. Make the crust by placing the flour, rosemary and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch chunks. Using your hands, toss and flatten the butter into small dime-sized pieces. Drizzle the vodka and water over the mixture and toss with your hands until the flour starts to stick together. Gently massage all the dry ingredients together until dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon more of water, if it’s too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour. Divide the dough in half, flatten into two, 1-inch thick round disks and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Place dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the dough is firm.
  2. Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 425˚ F and roll one of the disks out to a 12-inch round, then fit it into the pie tin. Decoratively flute the edges and place a piece of parchment paper inside the crust. Fill with pie weights, dry beans or uncooked rice. Repeat with the second crust and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the crusts from the oven and lift the parchment papers directly up with the weights still in it and move to a heatproof bowl. Return the uncovered pie crusts to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven, reduce the heat to 375˚ F and let the crust cool on a wire rack while you make the filling.
  3. While the crust is cooling, make the caramel by first placing the sugar, corn syrup, water and lemon juice in a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir together until all the sugar is sandy and wet. Place in the microwave and cook on high for 5-8 minutes. Start watching the bowl around the 4:30 mark. Once the liquid in the bowl starts to turn a light golden brown, remove from the microwave and place on a heatproof pad. Let it sit at room temperature and watch as the sugar deepens in color, about 3 to 5 minutes. Once the sugar has turned deep amber, carefully add about a tablespoon of the heavy cream and stir with a fork. It will steam up so be careful. Add an additional tablespoon and continue to stir, repeating until you have added all the cream.
  4. Once the caramel is made, add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar and all the spices to bowl. Stir to incorporate. Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat together until uniform in color. Add to the pumpkin filling and stir to incorporate. Divide the filling between the two pie crusts and place back in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is set on the edges of the pie and still jiggle just a bit in the middle. Let the pies cool completely before serving.