A modern twist on pumpkin pie, this Pumpkin Pie with Goat Cheese Crust has a spicy kick as vibrant as its orange custard filling. We put our own twist on the classic pumpkin pie formula by including gorgeous ripples of a salty-sweet brown sugar whipped cream. For more custard pies, look to our Pies and Tarts Special Issue!
Pumpkin Pie with Goat Cheese Crust
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (360 grams) whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks (112 grams)
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (24 grams) cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon (1.5 grams) ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup (244 grams) canned pumpkin
- Goat Cheese Crust (recipe follows)
- Garnish: Brown Sugar Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring milk to a boil over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Slowly add hot milk, whisking to combine. Return mixture to saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened.
- Remove from heat, and stir in pumpkin. Spoon filling into prepared Goat Cheese Crust. Let cool for 10 minutes. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of filling. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. Top with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream, if desired.
Goat Cheese Crust
Makes 1 (9-inch) crust
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
- ¾ cup (170 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 ounces (112 grams) goat cheese, cold
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) ice water
Instructions
- In the work bowl of a food processor, place flour, salt, and baking powder; pulse until combined. Add cold butter and goat cheese, and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add vinegar, pulsing until combined. With processor running, add ice water, 1 tablespoon (15 grams) at a time, just until dough comes together. Turn out dough, and shape into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides. Trim excess dough to ½ inch beyond edge of plate. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Freeze for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Top dough with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges of plate. Add pie weights.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely on wire rack.
Brown Sugar Whipped Cream
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 grams) heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup (55 grams) firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream, brown sugar, and salt at high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
I made this for Thanksgiving and it is the BEST pumpkin pie I’ve ever had. The goat cheese flavor came through, the Cayenne was perfect, and the brown sugar in the whipped cream was amazing. I’m never making regular pumpkin pie again.
The whipped cream ended up lasting 3 days, possibly through some kind of magic. Does brown sugar have a stabilizing quality that would make it different? I hope that wasn’t a fluke.