Recipe: Walnut-Praline Pumpkin Pie (with broiled topping)

WALNUT-PRALINE PUMPKIN PIE

1 baked single-crust 9-inch pie shell (recipe follows)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup and 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, divided use
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (not sweetened)
1 1/4 cups half-and-half or whole milk
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (for the topping)

Prepare and bake pie shell; cool on a rack. Place a baking sheet on center oven rack and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In a large bowl, beat eggs until blended. Add 3/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Stir in pumpkin and half-and-half. Pour into the pastry shell.

Place on baking sheet in oven. Bake 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the topping, combine nuts and the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, mixing well; set aside.

After the pie has baked 35 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle topping around perimeter of the surface. Put pie back in oven and continue baking until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes longer.

Remove pie from oven and turn oven to broil. Place pie on second oven rack from top and broil for about 30 seconds to lightly caramelize the brown sugar. Watch carefully to avoid scorching.

Cool pie on a rack, then refrigerate. When cold, loosely cover with aluminum foil. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

BASIC PIE SHELL
Enough for a single crust 9-inch pie

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4-1/2 tablespoons cold shortening, cut into small pieces
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
About 5 tablespoons ice water
Nonstick cooking spray

Sift together the flours, sugar and salt. Put into a bowl or food processor. Add the pieces of shortening and butter; cut in by hand or use the pulse button on the processor until large flakes are formed. Add cold water and work just until the dough begins to hold together.

Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap and form dough into a flat disk. Refrigerate at least an hour or overnight.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
If dough has been refrigerated overnight, remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before rolling. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to a 14-inch circle. Use a long, thin spatula to loosen dough occasionally and add a little flour as need to prevent sticking. Transfer dough to pie pan. Trim edge of dough slightly and crimp, or flatten with the tines of a fork. Refrigerate 30 minutes or freeze 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bake on center oven rack 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before filling.

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie, 8-10 servings
Source: Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving Entertaining