Praline Pumpkin Pie

The key to this pie dough is keeping everything COLD. Don't take anything out of the fridge or freezer until you have to. Work as quickly as you can and always refrigerate everything for the full amount of time. This will make the dough easier to work with and, thanks to the cold vodka, will result in the flakiest crust you can possibly have.

The Best Pie Dough Ever
From Cooks Illustrated, December 2007
For 2 pie crusts or 1 double-crust pie

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp table salt
2 tbsp sugar
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup cold vodka
1/4 cup cold water

To make the dough:

In a food processor, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds. Dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour.

Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around blade. Add remaining cup of flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass or dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium bowl.

Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days. Dough can be frozen to use at a later date.

To make the crust:

Roll out dough ball so it's an inch wider than your pie pan. Use your roller to pick up most of the dough (so it doesn't fall apart). Gently lower into your pie pan. Press into corners of pan lightly and cut off edges to make crust even. Use a fork or your fingers to crimp the edge. Refrigerate again for at least 30 minutes so dough can rest.


Praline Pumpkin Pie

Filling:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 - 15 oz can pumpkin
1 - 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp butter, softened

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix all filling ingredients together and pour into prepared raw pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes. While pie is baking, prepare topping.


Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for another 35 minutes.

Sprinkle topping on top of pie and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven. Let cool on the stovetop before refrigerating another 4-6 hours.