White Pumpkin Pie

Her pie was prettier, but mine tasted nice and “pumpkin-y” anyway and it was also sugar-free.

I posted about “the scariest vegetable” on Halloween, but pointed out that it was only scary because it is extremely high in vitamin A. I was hoping to find a pumpkin or winter squash that was white inside and out before Thanksgiving so I could make a pumpkin pie that I could eat while detoxing from hypervitaminosis A. I didn’t find any at regular grocery stores, so I called the non-profit farmer’s market in Woodinville (21acres.org) and asked if they could help me; they special ordered this beauty, called Blanco, from Tualco Valley Farm.

I looked up the variety online and found pictures of jack-o-lanterns made from Blancos. They showed pale flesh on the cut edges, but exposure to cold temperatures and sunlight can affect the color, so it is hard to know what’s inside until it is cut open. As you can see, mine was very white outside and slightly beige inside.

Comparing my finished pie to the regular one that my daughter made, the color difference was dramatic, even though the spices, vanilla, and brown sugar sub gave it a bit of color. (Her pie was prettier, but mine tasted nice and “pumpkin-y” anyway and it was also sugar-free.)

I sent a message to 21 Acres to see if they can get more white pumpkins. I’d love to have extras to freeze to use in some of my old favorite recipes, such as Pumpkin Tamales, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, Faux Candied Yams, (on the blog) and Ginger Pumpkin Puree, Pumpkin Pound Cake, and Pumpkin Soup (from Nourished).

To Prepare Fresh Pumpkin

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds and strings. Place cut-side-down on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake at 350° F for about 1½ hours or until very soft and brown around the edges. There will be some caramelized syrup in the pan that you can add to the puree.  Scrape pumpkin flesh from shells and put in a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher or puree in a food processor until very smooth. Pumpkins may vary in moisture content; if the puree is thin, place it in a saucepan and simmer for few minutes until it is as thick as canned pumpkin. (Mine was somewhat soupy—it took about 15 minutes to thicken.) Use for pie, below, or anywhere you would normally use canned pumpkin. My 5 pound- 9 ounce-Blanco made a little over 6 cups of puree, enough for two pies. 

Ingredients

• Pastry for a 9-inch pie. (See Notes)
• 1½ tablespoons gelatin (I used Great Lakes brand.)
• 1 cup non-fortified, unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 cups cooked pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup erythritol blend sweetener, such as Lakanto or Purecane
• ¼ cup of erythritol-based brown sugar sweetener, such as Lakanto Golden 
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon sugar-free vanilla extract 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Bake unfilled pie crust for about 10 minutes. Turn heat down to 325° F.

Place coconut milk in a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Stir and let sit for a few minutes until softened. 

Meanwhile, put the rest of the filling ingredients into another bowl and whisk until blended.

Heat the soaked gelatin over medium-low heat or in microwave until dissolved. Whisk until slightly frothy, then put into the bowl with the filling ingredients and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell. (So it doesn’t spill during transport, pour some of the filling into the crust before putting it in oven. Add the rest when it is on the pulled out oven rack.) Cover the edges of the crust with shields to prevent over-browning. Place the pie in the oven. Bake for about 1 hour. It will puff up and brown, but it won’t set up until it is chilled because of the gelatin.

When the pie has baked for an hour or so, take it out and let it cool for about 30 minutes. It will still be jiggly. Put in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 hours until set. Do not reheat the pie or the gelatin will melt. Top with sugar-free whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Notes

*RAE means “retinol activity equivalent.” It combines both plant and animal sourced vitamin A based on how much is metabolized.

I estimated the nutrient counts for white pumpkin using those for spaghetti squash, which was the palest member of the squash family in the data base. It is yellower than the Blanco, so its vitamin A content is probably higher, but still very low.

I used a new pie crust recipe for the pie in the picture (one with no egg). It was good, but I need to make it again before sharing it. Any low-carb almond flour pie crust, like the one I used for my Chocolate Tart, should work.

#WhitePumpkinPie, #HolidayDessert, #LowVitaminA, #PumpkinRecipe

I am not affiliated with any company and have not received free products.

©2020, Judy Barnes Baker