Recipe
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Recipe: An Untraditional Tradition Approved by Grandma
Thanksgiving: a day of gratitude, a day of tradition, a day of family, and (most importantly) a day of decadent mountains of food. What's not to love? Since my days of little blond curls, I have cherished this holiday. Years later, the warm, nostalgic smells from the kitchen don't fail to make me squirm with delight. My grandmother Cathy, adoringly known as Caki, has been commander and chief of nearly every Turkey-day meal I've attended; none of which would be complete without her unique tradition of pumpkin pie.
Although Caki appears a rather conventional lady, her radical Thanksgiving pie whips (pun intended) the norms of all standard pumpkin desserts. The delicate, mousse-like filling of Caki's Pumpkin Chiffon Pie had my entire family re-thinking why we had ever ended a heavy meal with a dense dessert.
This fall, after some convincing, Caki passed down her infamous pumpkin pie recipe to the next generation; and, with grandma's approval, I'm sharing it with you. Who knows, maybe this untraditional pumpkin pie is just the tradition your buffet needs this November!
Caki's Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
- Prep Time: 3 hrs
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 3 hrs 25 mins
- Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 envelopes gelatin
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 2 eggs separated at room temperature
- 1 can pumpkin
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pint whipping cream
- Pre-made 9" graham cracker crust
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Caki's Cooking Tip: Chill the bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before adding the cream in order to shorten the whipping time.
Step 8
Caki's Cooking Tip: In order to ensure perfectly beaten egg whites:
1. Wipe the interior of the bowl with a lemon before adding the whites to get rid of any excess oils
2. Only whip egg whites at room temperature.
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Feel free to top the pie with a dollop of whip cream or a dash of cinnamon for presentation. The pie can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days before serving.
Year after year, this recipe has my family singing praises and saying, "Oh my, I want a piece of pie!"
Happy Holiday Season from Grandma Caki and I!