USA
Pumpkin Pie
The cosy autumn classic, lightened up: a naturally sweet pumpkin-and-egg custard in an almond-flour crust, sweetened with maple instead of refined sugar.
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 8.
Ingredients
- 2 cups roasted pumpkin purée
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk (or evaporated/almond milk)
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ginger
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1½ cups almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- Pinch of salt
Cooking Steps
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Mix the almond flour, salt and melted coconut oil, then press into a pie dish to form the crust.
Whisk the pumpkin, eggs, milk, maple syrup, spices and vanilla until smooth.
Pour the filling into the crust.
Bake 45–50 minutes until the centre is just set.
Cool completely before slicing.
Optional Enhancements
- Butternut squash in place of pumpkin
- Coconut milk for dairy-free
- Skip the crust and bake as custards in ramekins
Plant & Growing Tips
Pumpkins
- Plant in late spring once soil warms.
- Require full sun and plenty of room to vine.
- Heavy feeders → add compost and manure.
- Water deeply once or twice weekly.
Eggs & Milk
- Backyard hens provide fresh, rich eggs ideal for pie.
- Raw milk from goats or cows can be used to make evaporated milk.
Natural Pest Control
- Neem spray and diatomaceous earth for squash bugs.
- Plant nasturtiums as trap plants.
- Rotate pumpkin beds yearly to prevent disease.
- Keep vines mulched to reduce stress.
Harvest
Pumpkins
- Ready when skin is hard and cannot be dented by fingernail.
- Stem dries and turns woody.
- Color deepens fully.
- Cut stem with several inches attached to prevent rot.
- Cure in a warm dry place 1–2 weeks.
Storing & Freezing
Fridge up to 4 days. Freezes up to 2 months.
