pumpkin pie. {grainfree & vegetarian}

6 December 2014

Another snowy morning in Maine confirms that the holidays are upon us. And in true Christmas fashion, I've been on a bit of a baking spree, experimenting with different grain-free flours in some of my favorite desserts. This pumpkin pie recipe adapted from the beautiful Brit sisters, Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley, is healthy and tasty. So much so, I had coffee and pie for breakfast with scoop of 0% fat Greek yogurt spiked with a little pure vanilla extract.

Pumpkin Pie with Almond Crust

Serves 12

Recipe Adapted from Hemsley and Hemsley 

For the filling:
1 15oz can of pumpkin, sweet potato, or squash puree
3 free range eggs
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or the seeds from 1 vanilla pod
1 TBL. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
Pinch of sea salt

For the pastry:
1 3/4 cup ground almonds or pecans
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 oz or 2 TBL unsalted butter at room temperature
2 free range eggs

1. Add the pastry ingredients into a food processor and blitz until it forms a dough. Roll into a 1/8-inch-thick disk between two pieces of parchment paper. Line a 9 1/2-inch ceramic tart dish with the almond pastry.

2. Trim any extra crust and bake for 10 mins at 350°. Set aside.

3. In a food processor, combine the filling ingredients and blend until smooth.

4. Pour filling into the prebaked pie crust almost to the top and bake on the middle shelf at 350° for 45 minutes, or until the center just jiggles.

5. Allow to cool and serve cold or room temperature. Serve plain, or with vanilla-infused creme fraiche, plain Greek yogurt, or vanilla ice-cream (I served mine with 0% fat Greek yogurt spiked with a little vanilla extract).

happy eatings & cheers!