Pumpkin Custard Mini-Pies

October is my favorite month by far.  Not because I love Halloween, but because I love Fall and all things "Pumpkin Spice".  Unfortunately however, my partner Noah detests all things pumpkin, including pumpkin pie which he finds "repulsive". So, faced with the reality of baking a pumpkin pie only to have the daunting task of eating the entire thing myself (my stars! what a tragedy THAT would be!) I devised a way to make my pie and eat it too.

Essentially I crossed a pumpkin pie recipe with a basic custard recipe, cooked it up in ramekins - some with a gingersnap crust (more on that later) and some without, and produced 4 mini pies.  1 was promptly eaten, 2 went in the freezer, and one is patiently waiting for me in the fridge.

I decided to make 2 with a ginger snap crust, having fallen in love with Ivin's Spiced Wafers which are apparently a Pennsylvanian specialty. They are sold in a bright orange and black box only from October through November.  They are sweet, spicy, and hard as a rock - but great for pie crusts or softening up in a glass of milk.  They definitely add a great spice and crunch, however the custard alone is so light and delicious you may prefer it

without.

TIP: If you plan on freezing this pie or keeping it in the fridge for a couple days, I would skip the crust as it will get soggy over time.

Pumpkin Custard Mini-Pies

This recipe easily yielded four portions using 5 inch quiche ramekins, just a little larger than a single slice of pie. You could easily get 6 normal sized  (4in) ramekins out of it.

Ingredients - Custard

2 eggs, separated
1 can (approx 12 oz) pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk (do not use the entire can as it will produce a custard that is too thin)
1/4 tsp allspice
1 Tbsp pumpkin spice  - OR - 1/4 tsp: ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Ingredients - Gingersnap Crust (Optional)
2 1/2 cups Spiced Wafers or Gingersnaps (about 24 cookies) well crushed
2 TBsp butter

Method - Crust


1.  Blend cookies in a food processor or blended until reaching the consistency of bread crumbs.

2.  Add 2 Tablespoons butter, blend until well combined.

3.  Press crumbs into bottom of ramekin until completely covered edge to edge.

4.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 6-8 minutes until butter has melted and crust begins to brown.

5.  Allow to cool completely before filling.

Method - Custard

1.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, spices, vanilla, and 2 slightly beaten egg yolks (reserver whites for next step).  Combine ingredients until well mixed.

2.  Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, approx 6-8 minutes.

3.  Fold egg whites into batter until well combined.

4.  Place ramekins in a rimmed baking sheet or pan, and fill with 3/4" hot water.

5.  Fill ramekins 3/4 full (custard will rise and expand during cooking).  Bake in a 375 degree oven until custard has set and top has began to brown.  In my toaster oven this took approx 20 minutes, allow up to 30 minutes in a regular oven.

To check the doneness of the custard, insert a toothpick halfway between the center and edge of the ramekin, it should come out clean.  The center of the custard may still be slightly loose, but will continue to cook once removed from the oven.   Also note, once removed from the oven, the custard will fall and reduce in size a bit.