This past Saturday I was lucky enough to take a pie baking class at King Arthur Flour given by Joy The Baker. I’ve been reading Joy Wilson’s blog for years and I own both of her amazing cookbooks. I’m also a long time listener to her podcast, Homefries, that she records along with Tracy from Shutterbean. I felt like I knew the gal!

Joy instructed 16 of us how to make her favorite Buttermilk Pie Crust and turn it into a Double Crust Apple Pie and the Pumpkin Pie With Pecan Praline Topping that I am sharing today. Over the course of 4 hours we rolled dough, made fillings and toppings and listened to Joy’s fun stories and helpful baking hints of all kinds. (She taught the same class right after for another lucky bunch of students!). Definitely take a class with Joy if you can. I also highly recommend checking out the many offerings at King Arthur Flour here in Norwich, Vermont. I’ve taken a bunch of classes and they are always really fun (and highly organized).





Here’s Joy serving up some of the Pumpkin Pie for us to try.

Me and Joy!

If you love pumpkin pie and praline, you are going to adore this pie. A perfectly spiced, creamy pumpkin filling is baked in the flaky buttermilk crust. The pie is then cloaked in a thick pecan-packed, sticky caramel sauce that hardens as it cools. Sweet in every sense of the word.

Pumpkin Pie With Pecan Praline Topping

Ingredients:

Buttermilk Pie Crust (recipe follows)
Pumpkin Pie Filling (recipe follows)
Pecan Praline Topping (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Transfer the pie filling mixture to the prepared pie shell.

3. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center of the pie no longer jiggles. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

4. Pour warm praline topping over still warm pie. The topping will thicken and become harder as it cools. Allow pie to cool completely before serving. Even better, store in refrigerator and serve cold.

Makes 1 9-inch pie

Buttermilk Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

2. Add butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces about the size of small peas.

3. Make a well in center of butter mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.

4. Dump the dough mixture out onto a floured work area. To bring the moist and shaggy bits together use the outer sides of your hands (the palms create too much heat). Form into a disk and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick and 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a pie pan. Trim any overhang, fold edges under and crimp with your fingers. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

Ingredients:

2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine pumpkin puree, sugars, spices and salt. Cook until mixture is thick and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and whisk in eggs and cream. Stir in vanilla.

Pecan Praline Topping

Ingredients:

1/2 cup light brown sugar
6 Tbs unsalted butter
3 Tbs heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, cream and salt over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and pecans.

All recipes from Joy The Baker

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Check out Solid Gold Balls on the band’s Website. You can buy their music here.

Cheers!