Martha Stewart Living (November 2016)
You may have noticed a conspicuous absence in our Fantasy Thanksgiving Menu that we posted last week: There was no pumpkin pie. There was no pumpkin anything.
That's not because we don't like pumpkin desserts. We do! A lot. It's just that we find it hard to get all that excited about them. With so many great dessert options -- chocolate! pecan! maple! -- it can be hard for a pumpkin pie to measure up.
Is this Deep-Dish Pumpkin Icebox Pie up to the challenge?
If you want a pumpkin dessert on your table this Thursday -- or if you feel like you need one -- this is definitely a nice option. It's richer and creamier than a regular ol' pumpkin pie. Thanks to the cream cheese, it's got a slight tang that actually makes it much more like a pumpkin cheesecake. The sweet Masala wine and the cinnamon, cloves and other spices give it a very nice flavor, and we really love the gingersnap crust.
If, on the other hand, you're not married to the idea of pumpkin, we don't know if this is enough to sway you. At the end of the day, it's a perfectly nice, well-flavored pumpkin cheesecake.
Is this the kind of dessert your Thanksgiving guests will still be talking about a month after the meal? Or even a week? Maybe not. But if you're in need of a good pumpkin dessert that's a slight deviation from the traditional pie, this could be the way to go.
What do you think? Is pumpkin a must on the Thanksgiving dessert menu? Would your guests revolt if you didn't serve a pumpkin pie?
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Deep-Dish Pumpkin Icebox Pie
Martha Stewart Living (November 2016)
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(This photo: Anna Williams/Martha Stewart Living)
Prep time: 40 mins | Total time: 55 mins
Serves 12
- This pie can be made up to two days ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
- 45 gingersnaps (12 ounces)
- Kosher salt
- 2/3 cup sweet Marsala or other sweet fortified wine
- 1 tablespoon gelatin (from two 1/4-ounce packets)
- 1 can (29 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with butter.
In a food processor, pulse cookies with 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely ground. With motor running, slowly add butter. Transfer mixture to springform pan, pressing it evenly into bottom and three-quarters of the way up sides. Bake until darkened slightly and set, 10 to 12 minutes (crust will become hard and crisp as it cools). Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Whisk together 1/3 cup wine and gelatin in a small heatproof bowl. Let stand until softened, about 3 minutes. Bring remaining cup wine to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour over gelatin, stirring until dissolved. In a food processor, combine gelatin mixture, pumpkin, cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
In another large bowl, combine 1 3/4 cups cream and 1 1/4 cups sugar; whisk until soft peaks form. Stir half of whipped cream into pumpkin mixture, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream with a rubber spatula (do not overmix). Pour filling into cooled crust, smoothing top with a spatula. Refrigerate until set and cold, at least 8 hours.
Run a thin-bladed knife between crust and sides of pan to loosen, then unlock and remove sides of pan. Transfer pie to a cake plate. In a large, cold bowl, whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups cream with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar until soft peaks form. Serve pie, with whipped cream.
MAKE AHEAD: This pie can be made up to two days ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.
