American Pie Council

Praline Pumpkin Pie with Caramel Sauce 1st Place Illinois State Fair Pumpkin Pie Contest

Praline Pumpkin Pie with Caramel Sauce
Jone Schumacher, Chapin, IL
2015 IL State Fair Pumpkin Pie Contest Winner

Crust
2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 ½ stick cold butter, thinly sliced
½ cup cold shortening, cut into small pieces
¼ cup cold vodka
¼ cup cold water
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon caramel flavoring
1 egg + 1 teaspoon water
Florida Demerara Sugar crystals (optional
Optional Trim for Crust
6-8 pecan halves
Additional pastry leaves

Filling
3 large or extra large eggs, separated
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ginger

Topping
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans
Carmel Sauce
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ cup brown sugar
For the crust: Blend flour, sugar and crust spices. Add shortening and butter and cut with pastry blender or food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine the water, vodka and flavorings and gradually add liquid to flour mixture. Stir with fork until moist clumps form. (All the liquid may not have been used). Gather dough into 2 balls, one larger than the other. Flatten each into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll larger dough to fit a deep 9” or 10” deep dish pie plate. Place crust into pan and flute edge or cut out shapes or leaves. Beat egg with water and brush crust edge or cut-outs with egg and sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Brush edge of crust with water before applying optional leaves. Press leaves around edge. Cut an open circle of heavy foil and spray inside surface with cooking spray; place over edge of crust. Chill crust in refrigerator while preparing filling.
For the filling: In a small mixing bowl of electric mixer, beat egg whites until fluffy to somewhat stiff. Scald the milk. Combine the flour, salt, flour, brown sugar and spices the add to the pumpkin and egg yolks in the large mixing bowl of electric mixer. Blend in the melted butter. Beat on medium speed until well blended. Add the warm milk to the mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Pour mixture into the prepared pie shell. Place in a 400 degree oven on lower 1/3 rack and bake for 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 40 minutes.
For the topping: Combine topping ingredients. Remove pie from oven and quickly sprinkle on the topping over the pumpkin filling. Remove the foil of the crust edge and return pie to oven for 10 minuts or until knife inserted comes out clean. Combine the caramel ingredients in a small sauce pan. On medium heat, bring to a boil mand stir constantly and cook for 2 minutes. Drizzle caramel over warm pie. Place in refrigerator after cooled until served.
Optional trim: Prepare several extra pastry crust leaves as in crust edge. Use a little caramel sauce and brush over the pecan halves. Bake leaves and pecans on small tray in a 400 degree oven for 4-6 minutes until golden brown. Place on pie top.