Overview

Fall into Cooking Featured Recipes fromBobby Flay's Throwdown!: Pumpkin PieBobby Flay: Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Crunch and Bourbon-Maple Whipped CreamMakes 1 10-inch pieCinnamon Crunch1/2 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats1/2 cup light muscovado sugar1 teaspoon ground cinnamon7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, coldCrust2 cups graham cracker crumbs8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 large egg, lightly beatenFilling3 large eggs3 large egg yolks3/4 cup dark muscovado sugar1/4 cup granulated sugar2 tablespoons molasses11/2 cups canned pumpkin puree11/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for the top1 teaspoon ground ginger1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/4 teaspoon ground cloves1/2 teaspoon fine salt1 cup heavy cream1/2 cup whole milk1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract3 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedBourbon-Maple Whipped Cream (recipe follows) for servingTo make the cinnamon crunch, preheat the oven to 350ºF.Combine the flour, oats, muscovado sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor, and process a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until combined. Pat the mixture evenly into a 4-inch square on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove and let cool. Transfer to a cutting board and chop into small pieces. Keep the oven on.To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and cinnamon in a bowl and mix until combined. Press evenly onto the bottom and sides of a 10-inch pie plate. Brush with the beaten egg. Bake until light golden brown and firm, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.Reduce the oven temperature to 300ºF.To make the filling, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, both sugars, and the molasses together in a medium bowl. Mix in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisk in the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla seeds or extract. Strain the mixture through a coarse strainer into a bowl. Whisk in the butter.Place the pie plate on a baking sheet, pour the pumpkin mixture into the shell, and sprinkle additional cinnamon over the top. Bake until the filling is set around edges but the center still jiggles slightly when shaken, 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.Cut the pie into slices and top each with a large dollop of whipped cream and some of the cinnamon crunch.Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream1 1/4 cups heavy cream, very cold1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved2 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon, to tasteCombine the cream, vanilla seeds, maple syrup, and bourbon in a large chilled bowl, and whip until soft peaks form.Challenger: Michele Albano's Maple Pumpkin Pie with Pecan StreuselMakes 1 9-inch piePie Crust11/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting1/2 teaspoon fine salt1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening, very cold1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream, for brushingPecan Streusel3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced, coldFilling2 cups pumpkin puree, preferably fresh2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon fine salt1 1/4 cups heavy cream1 cup Grade B maple syrup3 large eggs, beatenMaple Whipped Cream (recipe follows), for servingTo make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Break up the shortening and toss it with the flour mixture to coat. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, mix the ingredients together until the dough forms coarse crumbs. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough easily forms a ball that can hold itself together. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight.While the dough is resting, make the streusel: Toss the pecans with the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the butter, and using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work in until you have small clumps. Set aside.Preheat the oven to 425ºF.Sprinkle flour generously over a hard surface and roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it forms an 11-inch round. Fold the round in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate, and then unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate with a bit of an overhang. Tuck the overhang under to make a double-thick rim, and then use your fingers to crimp the edges of the pie shell. Brush the heavy cream over the crimped edges, and refrigerate until the filling is complete.To make the filling, mix the pumpkin, flour, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl well. Add the heavy cream and maple syrup, scraping the bowl several times while mixing. Mix in the beaten eggs.Pour the filling mixture into the pie shell, and bake for 15 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to 350ºF and bake until the filling is almost firm, about 30 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the pecan streusel over the top, covering the pie completely. Return the pie to the oven and bake until the filling is just a bit wobbly in the middle and the pecan streusel is golden, 10 to 15 minutes. The total baking time should be 55 to 60 minutes.Cool the pie on a wire rack. The pie is best served at either at room temperature or cold. Before serving, garnish the pie with the Maple Whipped Cream.Maple Whipped Cream2 cups heavy cream1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1/2 cup Grade B maple syrup, or to tastePlace the metal bowl of an electric mixer in the freezer to chill for at least 15 minutes.Combine the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla in the chilled bowl, and beat on high speed until the mixture thickens. Add the maple syrup and beat on high speed until the cream holds firm peaks.