#instagrub : Pumpkin Buttermilk Pie with Gingerbread Spiced Crust + Bourbon-Maple Whoop

Pumpkin Buttermilk Pie with Gingerbread Spiced Crust + Bourbon-Maple Whoop

Hey y'all! I'm back with a recipe, finally :) We've been out of town for our Chicks + Dicks Party, so I have been super busy and plenty packed with lots of activities... I'll post some pictures from our crazy weekend tomorrow, so check back if you wanna see how our party turned out!! P.S. it was a blast. Today I wanted to keep it simple, and that's why y'all are getting an #instagrub post. We've already discussed that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and this pie would be great on the dinner table! Our family must always make a buttermilk pie and a pumpkin cheesecake, and if you can't decide between the two, then use this recipe because it perfectly marries the both of them! The crust would be great throughout the fall & winter season since everyone LOVES gingerbread... I can't wait to use it for  an eggnog inspired pie at Christmas. The filling is extra tangy from the buttermilk, but smoothed out with the pumpkin puree and candied yams. I love the addition of both starches for the perfect autumn dessert. After the pie has chilled, all you have to do is top it with some homemade Bourbon-Maple Whoop and you are ready to sit down by the fire and keep cozy the cool winter night!! I hope you enjoy :)

homemade gingerbread spiced crust

For the Gingerbread Spiced Crust:

1 ½C AP Flour + 1C WW Flour

½t Salt, Cinnamon, & Ground Ginger

¼t Ground Allspice, Ground Cloves, & Pumpkin Pie Spice

1T Sugar + 1-2T Molasses

2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Cut into Cubes

6-8T Ice Cold Water

For the Pumpkin Buttermilk Pie:

2T AP Flour + 3T Buttermilk Powder, Sifted

1 ½C Sugar

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

4 Eggs

1C Buttermilk, Well-Shaken

1T Vanilla Extract

16oz Candied Yams Puree (puree with the candied syrup in the can)

15oz Pumpkin Puree

½t Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice (and a little bit of freshly ground nutmeg)

¼t Salt (or to taste)

For the Bourbon-Maple Whoop:

1C Heavy Cream

¼C Grade B Maple Syrup

2-3T Bourbon

Directions:

1. For the Gingerbread Spiced Crust: Start by cutting the sticks of butter into ½inch cubes and placing in the freezer bag, along with the flour and salt. Place the bag of flour into the freezer and chill for at least 1-2 hours. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and molasses until a brown sugar mixture is formed. In a food processor, pour the frozen flour bag in, as well as all of the spices and homemade brown sugar, and pulse 6-8 times until the mixture resembles a course meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water 1T at a time, pulsing until the mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch of some of the crumbly dough and it holds together then it’s ready. Remove the dough from the machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully split the dough into two pieces and shape into discs (save one of the rounds of pie dough in plastic wrap and freeze them for a rainy day). Do not over knead the dough. You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. Sprinkle the discs with a little flour on all sides and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour. Remove one of the discs from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12inch circle (1/8inch thick). Place the rolled out disc on to a pie dish, lining up the fold with the center of the pan, trimming the excess and crimping the edges. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the prepared pie dish onto a baking sheet.

3. For Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pie: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted flour and buttermilk powder, sugar, and butter until combined. Add in one egg at a time, mixing thoroughly until each one is incorporated before adding the next. Next, whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. I find that an immersion blender can help make this pie filling a smoother and creamier texture. I have also made this pie filling in a standing mixer by first beating together the butter and sugar, and then adding in the sifted flour and buttermilk powder, along with the vanilla extract. Mix on low speed and beat in one egg at a time, making sure that each one was fully incorporated before adding the next. After the eggs have been mixed in, add in the pumpkin & sweet potato puree. I then slowly poured the buttermilk in a steady stream until the batter was creamy and smooth. Season with a pinch or two of salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until it has reached your desired taste. Once it is thoroughly blended, pour the filling into the frozen piecrust.

4. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the filling is set in the center.

5. For the Bourbon-Maple Whoop: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream and maple syrup together on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Whisk in the whiskey 1T at a time. With the mixer on high speed, continue whipping until medium-stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

6. Cool completely to room temperature and refrigerate until chilled. Serve with a dollop of spiced bourbon whoop.

Thanksgiving Panini with Roasted Turkey, Sage Aioli, Cranberry Pepper Jelly, + Goat Brie Cheese on Homemade Crusty Pumpkin Bread, Fried in Herbed Compound Butter

Thanksgiving Panini with Roasted Turkey, Sage Aioli, Cranberry Pepper Jelly, + Goat Brie
Cheese on Homemade Crusty Pumpkin Bread, Fried in Herbed Compound Butter

It's officially November, y'all... which means the month of Thanksgiving and giving thanks is upon us!! We all gotta start planning our menu for the big day, but what's better than the day after meal... y'all know what I'm talking about, the leftover sandwiches. Two years ago, I made this Friends-inspired treat and the next year, I went in a crazy direction and whipped up these chicken + waffles with leftover dishes. Oh and don't forget that kick-ass tartine, either!! Now, we've come back full circle and I'm featuring another sandwich, well, a panini to be exact. I didn't want it to be too fussy and loaded like the Moist Maker, but I still wanted a gourmet touch to it, that's for sure. So, I started by making homemade crusty pumpkin bread using pumpkin powder. We absolutely adored this pumpkin bread, it is great for sandwiches, toast, or could be used in sweet recipes as well (I'm thinking some french toast is in order). To make the bread even better, it is fried in herbed compound butter till golden & crispy. Y'all probably already knew that though because that's the only way we like a sandwich around this joint... fried in large amounts of butter. The filling is kept pretty classic with the use of roasted turkey, but then it's even more delicious because of the CHEESE (a.k.a. a tangy, creamy goat brie cheese) and CONDIMENTS (a.k.a homemade sage aioli + cranberry pepper jelly). That fruity sauce is the bomb as far as we're concerned and I loved the Southern twist to it... we love our pepper jelly down here. And that's it, that's all y'all need for a perfectly simple-perfectly haute couture panini, inspired by Thanksgiving. Honestly, we made this sandwich until we ran out of bread, so y'all know we loved it. I know we can't wait to make it the rest of the month... and don't worry, there will be plenty of dishes posted that are perfect for the big day, and day after, all throughout the season!! Enjoy :)

yumm-ooooo

For the Crusty Pumpkin Bread:

5C Bread Flour

1C Pumpkin Powder

1T Salt

3C Water

For the Sage Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

2 Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

½t Salt

¾C Canola Oil

1t Fresh Rosemary, Minced

1-2T Fresh Sage (depending on how strong you like it)

For the Cranberry Pepper Jelly:

3 Red Bell Peppers, Finely Chopped

2 Red Habanero Peppers, Seeded & Finely Chopped

1C Sugar

2t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

½t Salt

¼C Liquid Pectin

1T Fresh Lemon Juice

3C Cranberries

 

For the Thanksgiving Panini:

Prepared Crusty Pumpkin Bread, Cut into Slices + Fried in Herbed Compound Butter

Prepared Sage Aioli

Prepared Cranberry Pepper Jelly

Thinly Shaved Roasted Turkey

Slices of Creamy Goat Brie Cheese

Directions:

1. For the Crusty Pumpkin Bread: In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, pumpkin powder, salt, and yeast. Add in the water and stir until you have shaggy dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 12-18 hours. Once the dough has rested, heat the oven to 450 degrees. After the oven has heated, put a covered pot in and heat for 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and carefully pick up the ball of dough and drop it into the hot pot. Put the lid on the pot and return it to the oven to bake for an hour. After the hour cooking time, take off the lid and bake for another 20-30 minutes until the bread is golden brown. Carefully remove the bread from the pot and let it cool completely before slicing.

2. For the Sage Aioli: Combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, fresh sage, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

3. For the Cranberry Pepper Jelly: Combine peppers, chiles, sugar, red pepper flakes and salt in a heavy wide pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Stir in pectin and lemon juice. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stir in cranberries and simmer gently until they burst and juices thicken, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer jelly to a jar, let cool, and cover. It will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

4. Prepping the Grilled Cheese:Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Spread one side of each of the two slices of pumpkin bread with some homemade sage aioli and begin layering with slices of goat Brie cheese, roasted turkey, and a heavy serving of cranberry pepper jelly on top of the bread. Press the sandwich together in order to compress it some.

5. Cooking the Grilled Cheese: Spread one side of the cut bread with some softened, herbed compound butter and place it buttered side down and fry the bread lightly for 3-5 minutes, making sure that all of the cheese has melted and the filling is hot. Flip the sandwich and continue to cook for another few minutes until both sides are well browned, perfectly crispy, & melted. Carefully press the sandwich together to ensure everything has adhered to each other. If you are still concerned about the filling not being hot enough, you can always pop it in the oven to ensure that everything hot and gooey.

6. Sprinkle the sandwich with some minced fresh herbs, cut in half, and enjoy immediately!!

Silky Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue & Biscoff Shortbread Cookie Crust

Silky Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue & Biscoff Shortbread Cookie Crust

I know I promised my "Bread Pudding" Dressing with cornbread, sausage, and apples. And I didn't deliver, I'm going to try and post it tomorrow, but I hadn't edited the pictures yet. So, I'm giving y'all an awesome pumpkin pie recipe :) I never liked pumpkin pie, but I like this recipe! I think it's really special because it uses pumpkin butter, candied yams, mascarpone cheese, egg nog, bourbon, and then it's topped with a toasty marshmallow meringue. But, the best part my friends, is the Biscoff Shortbread Cookie Crust. I know all of y'all have had Biscoff Spread because it's like Heaven. I mean like Thanksgiving, Christmas, St. Patty's Day, + the Fourth of July in a jar, and it can be eaten with a spoon. Biscoff and Nutella should have babies. Okay, I'm getting off topic. Anyway, the crust is addicting. The filling is utterly smooth and so comforting, and the topping is like a golden blob of summer goodness. I know this will be a main-stay at our holiday table and the crust will be used for a lot of pies in the future!! Enjoy :)

How gorgeous is that meringue?! 

So gorgeous.

For the Biscoff Shortbread Crust:

¾C Biscoff Spread (plus 2T if needed for a dry dough, it was not needed for mine though)

½C AP Flour

¼t Salt & Baking Soda

¼C Packed Light Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar

2T Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

1 Large Egg Yolk

¼t Vanilla 

For the Silky Pumpkin Pie Filling:

1C Heavy Cream + 1C Egg Nog (or 2C Half & Half can be substituted as well)

3 Large Eggs + 3 Egg Yolks

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

4oz Mascarpone Cheese

15oz Pumpkin Butter

1C Candied Yams, Drained of Excess Moisture & Pureed in a Food Processor

¾C Granulated Sugar

¼C Sorghum Molasses (or maple syrup can be substituted)

1 ½t Fresh Ginger, Grated (you can add more to use 2 teaspoons or reduce to 1 teaspoon)

½t Ground Cinnamon and Pumpkin Pie Spice

¼t Freshly Grated Nutmeg & Ground Ginger

1t Salt

1T Bourbon (optional)

For the Marshmallow Meringue:

3 Egg Whites

¼t Cream of Tartar

Pinch of Salt

7oz Marshmallow Crème

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a pie dish with Pam. Set it aside.

2. For Biscoff Shortbread Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda until incorporated. Using a mixer, beat together both sugars, Biscoff Spread, and butter until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until well blended, about 3 minutes (the mixture will be clumpy). Gradually add in the dry ingredients with your hands and beat until just combined (it will be crumbly, if it is too dry add another 1-2T of Biscoff Spread, but do not over-mix). Gather dough with your hands, place into the prepared pan, and press evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Set this aside and keep it warm while you make the filling.

3. Making the Silky Pumpkin Pie Filling: In a mixing bowl, add in the softened mascarpone cheese and beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Next, whisk or beat the heavy cream, egg nog, eggs and egg yolks, and vanilla bean until completely smooth. Combine the pumpkin butter, candied yam puree, sugar, sorghum molasses (or maple syrup), fresh ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, ground ginger, and salt in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Continue to simmer, while continually stirring, until thick and shiny, for 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan for heat and whisk in the cream mixture slowly, until fully incorporated (an immersion blender can be helpful as well because it will puree any lumps left while cooking). Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a mixing bowl, using a rubber spatula to press the solids through. Stir in the bourbon if you are using it. Whisk the mixture together once more and pour the filling into the warm, pre-baked pie shell.

4. Baking the Pie: Bake the pie for 10 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 300 degrees to continue baking the pie for 20-30 minutes more. The edges of the pie should be set and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pie should register to roughly 175 degrees (don’t worry about the hole cause by the thermometer because it will be covered by the marshmallow meringue topping). Let the pie cool slightly while you make the marshmallow meringue.

5. For the Marshmallow Meringue Topping: While the pie is cooling slightly, beat together the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a standing mixer, at a high speed. Beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add marshmallow crème in small portions, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.  Spread or pipe the meringue over the top of the pumpkin pie in an even layer, making sure to seal edges completely (you can be as creative or rustic as you like with this layer, depending on your style). Broil the top of the marshmallow meringue with a kitchen torch until it reaches a golden brown & toasted marshmallow look (do not let it burn). You can also use the broiler in your oven to achieve similar results.

6. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 2-3 hours. During this time, the pie will finish cooking from resident heat, to ensure the filling sets, cool it at room temperature, not in the refrigerator.

7. Once cooled, cut the pumpkin pie into slices and enjoy immediately!

Pumpkin Pecan Pie Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Thanksgiving is just a couple days away, and like every year, I am in charge of most of the sides and the desserts. I usually make two desserts and this year I decided to make a Pumpkin Pecan Pie Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Crust & a Salted Caramel Apple Pie with Vanilla Bean Pastry Crust topped with Cinnamon Ice Cream. But... back to the cheesecake. This delicious cheesecake is like two famous Thanksgiving desserts, smashed into one. Almost every household has either a pecan pie or a pumpkin pie at their table during the holidays, so why not combine them together and make the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert. I actually doubled my recipe to make two cheesecakes, so we could enjoy one before (shh don't tell anyone), and my Mountain Man has already had three slices! The crust is perfectly cinnamon-y & crunchy... I like a really thick crust, so if you don't, then definitely reduce the cookie crumbs. The pecan pie filling is sweet, gooey, and nutty, which perfectly balances the more-savory & spicy pumpkin cheesecake layer. I know it may be short notice, but go and run to the grocery store now and buy all the ingredients to make this cheesecake, your friends and family will thank you!! Enjoy :)

Pumpkin Pecan Pie Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Beauty Shot of the Whole Cheesecake 

Layers of Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pecan Pie, & Thick Gingersnap Crust

For the Cookie Crust:

2 ½C Cookie Crumbs (I like Biscoff Cookies, Gingersnaps, or Cinnamon Graham Crackers)

¼C Sugar

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Melted

For the Pecan Pie Filling:

1C Sugar

2/3C Dark Corn Syrup

1/3C Butter, Melted

2 Eggs

1 ½C Chopped Pecans

1t Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt

For the Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Filling:

2 Blocks of Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1 ¼C Sugar 

2T Sour Cream

1C Pure Pumpkin Puree

3 Large Eggs, Room Temperature & Separated

1T Cornstarch

½t Salt

1 ½t Vanilla Extract

1 ¼t Ground Cinnamon

½t Ground Ginger

Pinch of Ground Cloves

For the Bourbon Vanilla Whipped Cream:

½C Heavy Cream

1T Sugar

¼t Vanilla

1 ½t Bourbon 

Directions:

1. Prepping for the Cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and position the rack in the center of the oven. Line a 10-inch spring form pan with parchment paper and spray with Pam, and set aside

2. For the Cinnamon Cookie Crust: Pulse the cookies in a food processor until they resemble a cookie crumble. Stir in the melted butter along with the brown sugar until well combined. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly and evenly. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Cool on a rack, and then wrap the outside of the spring form pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.  Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, make the pecan pie filling.
3. For the Pecan Pie Filling: Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat & simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour the pecan pie filling into the crust and set aside.
4. For the Pumpkin Pie Filling: Beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add in the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides, about 3 minutes. Beat in the sour cream, then add the pumpkin, egg yolks, vanilla, cornstarch, salt, and all of the spices. Beat until just combined. In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, and then gently fold the whites into the cheesecake batter. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared spring form pan, on top of the pecan pie filling (making sure to smooth the top evenly). Gently the roasting pan with the cheesecake in it into the oven and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the spring form pan (this helps for even baking). Bake until the outside of each cheesecake sets in the center but is still loose (about 1 hour). Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for another 45 minutes to a hour (this step will help prevent cracking on the top). Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a knife along the outside edges to loosen it from the sides of pan. Let the cheesecake cool at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours, and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. 
5. For the Bourbon Vanilla Whipped Cream: Whip the cream in electric mixer, adding the sugar, vanilla, and bourbon as it starts to thicken. Continue whipping until soft peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. If your cheesecake happens to have any cracks in the top, the bourbon vanilla whipped cream is the perfect solution to cover them, and no one will ever know... shhhhh :)
6. Serving the Cheesecake: Bring the cheesecake to room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating. Serve with a dollop of the bourbon vanilla whipped cream.

source: pecan pie cheesecake.