Have you ever taken a bite of something and felt the immediate need to share it with someone else? It’s almost as if you need confirmation that what you are tasting is really as good as you think it is. That’s the way it was with this pie.
I cut a slice, still warm from the oven, topped it with the molasses-whipped cream and then took a bite. As if on cue, I heard my daughter wake up from her nap and before I knew it, my daughter, bleary-eyed and still in her sleep-sack, was eating pie in her crib.
After each shared bite, she gestured for more and when we finished off the last bite, she yelled “no” before throwing herself back down on the bed and rolling away as if to go back to sleep. Only knowing about 50 words makes communication difficult for the kid, but this time I knew exactly how she felt.
Now for the skeptics; I see your raised eyebrows. Pumpkin pie causing this sort of reaction? I must be out of my mind, but you just have to try it with the molasses whipped cream. The additional step of whipping cream and then gently folding in molasses may be asking a lot of the Thanksgiving-weary cook, but I’m going to have to insist. It’s the perfect complement to the gingersnap crust and a generous dollop atop a slice elevates this classic pie to something really special.
Once you try a bite, you are going to be so very happy. You’ll probably want to dance – and you should! And then, when your plate is scraped clean, you’ll want to scream “no” and climb back in bed. Happy cooking!
This recipe is part of the menu for Minced Thanksgiving 2015. For even more turkey day preparation, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest; I’ll be using the hashtag #mincedthanksgiving and hope you’ll use it as well to share any Minced blog creations, your favorite dishes, and your best holiday memories with me.
Additional dessert ideas for sweet endings to your Thanksgiving:
Homemade Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese Crust
Baked Apples with Cider Syrup
Bourbon-Pecan Tartlets
Rum Cake
Apple and Almond Bread Pudding
Poached Pears with Creme Anglaise
Pumpkin Pie with a Gingersnap Crust and Molasses-Whipped Cream
Printer Friendly Recipe
Serves 8
For the crust, I used Murray’s gingersnap cookies and processed them to a fine crumb in my food processor fitted with a blade attachment. While you don’t have to use Murray’s gingersnaps, you will want to use a crisp gingersnap for this recipe; soft & chewy cookies won’t yield the same results
For the crust:
1 ½ cups gingersnap crumbs, about 30 small cookies
Generous pinch of salt
4 ½ tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Special equipment: food processor with blade attachment to make crumbs, 1- (9-inch) pie plate
For the filling:
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin (no added pie spices)
1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the molasses whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoons molasses
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
In a medium bowl, stir together the gingersnap crumbs, salt, and melted butter until well combined. Press the mixture evenly into the 9-inch pie plate covering the bottom and sides of the pie plate with a packed, ¼-inch thick layer of crumbs. Set the prepared pie plate aside. Note: Don’t grease your pie plate for this recipe. The butter used in the crust will keep it from sticking.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, condensed milk, and eggs. Add the spices and salt and whisk until combined. Pour the filling into the prepared pie plate.
Bake for 45 minutes until just set. The middle of the pie may seem to be slightly undercooked, but that is okay. It will continue to cook as it cools. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
While the pie cools, pour the cream into a metal bowl and beat with a hand-held mixer (or stand mixer) until the cream begins to thicken. Sprinkle the sugar over the cream and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Drizzle the molasses over the whipped cream and fold in gently with a rubber spatula. Don’t over-mix as you want the whipped cream to have streaks of molasses. Serve a slice of pie with a generous dollop of molasses-whipped cream and enjoy!
