Dark molasses and dark rum put this pumpkin pie a cut above the rest. Nonfat evaporated milk, which stands in for heavy cream, does a fantastic job of cutting the fat in the filling. Add to that our blue ribbon butter-canola crust and you’ve dropped three-quarters of the fat and more than half the calories found in most similar pies. Don’t use pumpkin-pie mix—buy canned pumpkin without added spices: the flavor will be superior.

Servings: 8 servings
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Moderate
Health: Low Sat Fat, High Calcium, High Fiber, Low Sodium, Low Cholesterol, Heart Healthy


Ingredients:

Crust
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1-2 tablespoons ice water

Filling
2 large eggs
1 15- or 16-ounce can plain pumpkin puree
1 12-ounce can nonfat evaporated milk
1/4 cup dark molasses
3 tablespoons dark rum or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt


Steps:

1: To prepare crust: Stir all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, swirling the pan, until the butter turns a nutty brown, 30 seconds to 4 minutes, depending on your stove. Pour into a small bowl and let cool. Stir in oil. Slowly stir the butter-oil mixture into the flour mixture with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Gradually stir in enough ice water so the dough holds together. Press the dough into a flattened disk.

2: Place two overlapping lengths of plastic wrap on a work surface. Set the dough in the center and cover with two more sheets of plastic wrap. Roll the dough into a 13-inch circle. Remove the top sheets and invert the dough into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Remove the remaining wrap. Fold the edges under at the rim and crimp. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

3: To prepare filling & bake pie: Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Lightly whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, molasses and rum (or vanilla). Combine brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl. Rub through a sieve into the pumpkin mixture and whisk until incorporated.

4: Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Bake the pie until the filling has set and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes; cover the edges with foil if they are browning too quickly. Cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition: (Per serving)

Calories - 278
Carbohydrates - 43
Fat - 8
Saturated Fat - 2
Monounsaturated Fat - 4
Protein - 7
Cholesterol - 58
Dietary Fiber - 3
Potassium - 397
Sodium - 187
Nutrition Bonus - Vitamin A (137 daily value), Calcium (21 dv), Iron (15 dv).

Equipment: 9-inch deep-dish pie pan

Related Links:

  • Maple-Pumpkin Custards with Crystallized Ginger
  • More Healthy Thanksgiving Desserts