Makes 1 large 25cm diameter and 12 small pies
For the shortcrust pastry:
100 g Unsalted butter
200 g plain flour
2 tablespoon ice cold water
For the filling:
300g pumpkin flesh
100ml orange juice
100g caster sugar
1 egg
300ml double cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon Icing sugar
Method:
Pre heat oven to 160°C. Sift the flour into a bowl and cut the butter into small cubes and rub into the flour until it forms a dough. Be careful not to Once a dough is formed wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes.
Once rested roll out to a pound coin thickness and line a 25cm tart case - or into small rounds for individual tarts. Prick the base a couple of times with a fork. Leave the case to rest for a further 20 minutes then place a sheet of greaseproof and baking beans in the middle and blind bake at 160°c for 25 minutes or until pastry has cooked and light gold in colour. Trim the edges and leave the pastry case to cool.
Heat the oven to 200ºC.
Hollow out a pumpkin ready for Halloween.
Chop the flesh and put it in a pan with the orange juice and simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Liquidise and allow to cool.
Beat the egg into the cream adding half the cinnamon and the nutmeg. Combine the egg mixture with the sugar to the pumpkin puree.
Fill the pastry cases with the mixture and bake. Remove the little pies after 10 minutes of and cook the large pie for a further 20 minutes.
Optional - make a sugar syrup using 50g caster sugar and the juice of a lemon. Bring to the boil over a high heat and set aside. Add a few buck thorn berries and drizzle over your pie.