Pumpkin, Sweet Potato & Coconut Pie

This pie is so delicious that I often make two at a time. If you do, use three whole eggs when doubling the filling.

• 9-inch single Pie Crust, chilled
• 1-1/4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 small cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 small star anise, crumbled
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 15-oz. can pure solid-pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1/2 cup well-stirred canned coconut milk (not coconut cream)
• 3/4 cup cold whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks with 1-1/2 Tbs. granulated sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine the sweet potatoes, cinnamon stick pieces, cloves, star anise, and ginger slices with enough water to just cover the contents. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the sweet potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork or skewer, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving the boiling liquid. Return the potatoes to the pot over low heat and toss to dry them a bit. Discard the cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. Force the warm potatoes through a ricer, a food mill, or a sieve. Boil the liquid if needed, until reduced to 1/4 cup. Let the sweet potato mash and the liquid cool.

Position an oven rack in the lower half of the oven; heat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and sweet potato purée. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, melted butter, and reserved spiced liquid. In a separate bowl, stir together the granulated and brown sugars with a wire whisk until any large lumps of brown sugar are gone. Sift the flour and salt over the sugars; stir to blend. Add the sugar-flour mixture to the pumpkin and stir well until no pockets of sugar are visible. Blend in the coconut milk.

Tip:

Be sure the pastry is still well chilled when you put the pie in the oven. This helps to ensure that the crust won’t darken too much during the long baking time.

Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell; smooth the top. Bake for 1-3/4 to 2 hours, turning the pie several times so it bakes evenly. The point of a thin-bladed knife should come out clean when inserted into the center of the filling, and the edges of the surface will be unevenly cracked. If the edges of the pastry darken too much before the filling is cooked, cover them with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving with mounds of the lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Tender Pie Crust

This recipe makes double the pie dough that you’ll need for the Pumpkin, Sweet Potato & Coconut Pie, so freeze half to use another time.

• 3 cups (about 13-1/2 oz.) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. table salt
• 1 cup solid vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 2 to 3 Tbs. ice water
• 1 Tbs. white vinegar

Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl or a food processor. Add the shortening and cut it in with a pastry blender or two knives (or pulse the processor) until the largest pieces of shortening are about the size of fat peas. Transfer to a large mixing bowl if using the food processor. In a small bowl, beat together the egg, 2 Tbs. of the ice water, and the vinegar; add this to the flour mixture. Work the liquid evenly through the dough with the tips of your fingers until it can be collected in a rough ball. If the dough is too dry to come together, gradually sprinkle a few drops of the remaining water over it and continue to work gently until it comes together.

Cut the dough in half and shape each into a ball. Flatten each ball into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic. Chill for at least 4 hours or up to three days. (Freeze one if you like, to save for another purpose.)

About 2 hours before baking, remove one of the dough disks from the refrigerator so it can warm up just enough to roll without cracking. Unwrap the dough and roll it between two sheets of waxed paper into a round about 12-inches in diameter. Peel off the top sheet of waxed paper. Invert a 9-inch glass pie plate and center it on the dough. Slide one hand under the bottom sheet of waxed paper, position your other hand flat on the pie plate, and quickly flip the plate and dough over. Peel off the waxed paper and gently press the dough down into the plate. With a paring knife, trim the dough to within 3/4-inch of the rim of the plate. Fold the dough under and crimp the edges. Use the trimmings to patch any cracks or bare spots. Wrap the shell loosely with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Classic Apple Pie

For best results, bake this pie at least a few hours before you plan to cut into it; otherwise, the filling may be soupy. With time, the fruit reabsorbs the juices, and the pie will cut like a charm. A pastry cloth and a rolling pin stocking, or sleeve, are simple tools that make it easier to roll out the dough.

• 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 lb. Cortland apples (about 4 medium)
• 1 lb.Granny Smith apples (about 2-1/2 medium)
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 3 Tbs. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon; more to taste
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus 1 Tbs. cold unsalted butter cut into small (1/4-inch) cubes
• 4 to 6 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 recipe Flaky Pie Pastry

Position two oven racks in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

Make the filling:

Peel the apples, cut each in half from top to bottom, remove the cores with a melon baller, and trim the ends with a paring knife. Lay the apples, cut side down, on a cutting board. Cut the Cortland apples (below left) crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces, and then halve each piece diagonally. Cut the Granny Smith apples (below right) crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, leaving them whole. Put the apples in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice.

Combine the brown sugar, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, kosher salt, and nutmeg in a small bowl. (Don’t add this to the fruit yet.)

In a small dish, lightly beat the egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Set aside.

Assemble the pie:

Butter a 9-inch ovenproof glass (Pyrex) pie plate, including the rim, with the 2 tsp. of softened butter.

Rub 2 to 3 Tbs. of flour into the surface of a pastry cloth, forming a circle about 15 inches across, and also into a rolling pin stocking. If you don’t have a pastry cloth, rub the flour into a large, smooth-weave, cotton kitchen towel and use a floured rolling pin. Roll one of the disks of dough into a circle that’s 1/8 inch thick and about 15 inches across.

Lay the rolling pin across the upper third of the dough circle; lift the pastry cloth to gently drape the dough over the pin and then roll the pin toward you, wrapping the remaining dough loosely around it. Hold the rolling pin over the near edge of the pie plate. Allowing for about a 1-inch overhang, unroll the dough away from you, easing it into the contours of the pan. If the dough isn’t centered in the pan, gently adjust it and then lightly press it into the pan. Take care not to stretch the dough. If it tears, simply press it back together—the dough is quite forgiving.

Brush the bottom and sides of the dough with a light coating of the egg-white wash (you won’t need all of it). Leaving a 1/4-inch overhang, cut around the edge of the dough with kitchen shears.

Combine the sugar mixture with the apples and toss to coat well. Mound the apples in the pie plate, rearranging the fruit as needed to make the pile compact. Dot the apples with the 1 Tbs. cold butter cubes.

Rub another 2 to 3 Tbs. flour into the surface of the pastry cloth and stocking. Roll the remaining dough into a circle that’s 1/8 inch thick and about 15 inches across. Use the rolling pin to move the dough. As you unroll the dough, center it on top of the apples. Place your hands on either side of the top crust of the pie and ease the dough toward the center, giving the dough plenty of slack. Leaving a 3/4-inch overhang, trim the top layer of dough around the rim of the pie plate. Fold the top layer of dough under the bottom layer, tucking the two layers of dough together. Press a lightly floured fork around the edge of the dough to seal it, or flute the edge of the dough with lightly floured fingers.

Lightly brush the top with cold water and sprinkle the surface with the remaining 1 Tbs. sugar. Make steam vents in the dough by poking the tip of a paring knife through it in a few places; it’s important to vent well so that the steam from the cooking apples won’t build up and crack the top of the crust.

Bake the pie:

Cover the rim of the pie with aluminum foil bands. This will prevent the edge of the crust from overbrowning.

Place a rimmed baking sheet or an aluminum foil drip pan on the oven rack below the pie to catch any juices that overflow during baking. Set the pie on the rack above.

Bake until the top and bottom crusts are golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 60 to 75 minutes; to thicken, the juices must boil, so look for the bubbles through the steam vents or through cracks near the edges of the pie and listen for the sound of bubbling juices. During the last 5 minutes of baking, remove the foil bands from the edges of the pie. Cool the pie at least 3 hours and up to overnight before serving.

Classic Apple Pie

For best results, bake this pie at least a few hours before you plan to cut into it; otherwise, the filling may be soupy. With time, the fruit reabsorbs the juices, and the pie will cut like a charm. A pastry cloth and a rolling pin stocking, or sleeve, are simple tools that make it easier to roll out the dough.

• 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 lb. Cortland apples (about 4 medium)
• 1 lb.Granny Smith apples (about 2-1/2 medium)
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 3 Tbs. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon; more to taste
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus 1 Tbs. cold unsalted butter cut into small (1/4-inch) cubes
• 4 to 6 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 recipe Flaky Pie Pastry

Position two oven racks in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

Make the filling:

Peel the apples, cut each in half from top to bottom, remove the cores with a melon baller, and trim the ends with a paring knife. Lay the apples, cut side down, on a cutting board. Cut the Cortland apples (below left) crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces, and then halve each piece diagonally. Cut the Granny Smith apples (below right) crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, leaving them whole. Put the apples in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice.

Combine the brown sugar, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, kosher salt, and nutmeg in a small bowl. (Don’t add this to the fruit yet.)

In a small dish, lightly beat the egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Set aside.

Assemble the pie:

Butter a 9-inch ovenproof glass (Pyrex) pie plate, including the rim, with the 2 tsp. of softened butter.

Rub 2 to 3 Tbs. of flour into the surface of a pastry cloth, forming a circle about 15 inches across, and also into a rolling pin stocking. If you don’t have a pastry cloth, rub the flour into a large, smooth-weave, cotton kitchen towel and use a floured rolling pin. Roll one of the disks of dough into a circle that’s 1/8 inch thick and about 15 inches across.

Lay the rolling pin across the upper third of the dough circle; lift the pastry cloth to gently drape the dough over the pin and then roll the pin toward you, wrapping the remaining dough loosely around it. Hold the rolling pin over the near edge of the pie plate. Allowing for about a 1-inch overhang, unroll the dough away from you, easing it into the contours of the pan. If the dough isn’t centered in the pan, gently adjust it and then lightly press it into the pan. Take care not to stretch the dough. If it tears, simply press it back together—the dough is quite forgiving.

Brush the bottom and sides of the dough with a light coating of the egg-white wash (you won’t need all of it). Leaving a 1/4-inch overhang, cut around the edge of the dough with kitchen shears.

Combine the sugar mixture with the apples and toss to coat well. Mound the apples in the pie plate, rearranging the fruit as needed to make the pile compact. Dot the apples with the 1 Tbs. cold butter cubes.

Rub another 2 to 3 Tbs. flour into the surface of the pastry cloth and stocking. Roll the remaining dough into a circle that’s 1/8 inch thick and about 15 inches across. Use the rolling pin to move the dough. As you unroll the dough, center it on top of the apples. Place your hands on either side of the top crust of the pie and ease the dough toward the center, giving the dough plenty of slack. Leaving a 3/4-inch overhang, trim the top layer of dough around the rim of the pie plate. Fold the top layer of dough under the bottom layer, tucking the two layers of dough together. Press a lightly floured fork around the edge of the dough to seal it, or flute the edge of the dough with lightly floured fingers.

Lightly brush the top with cold water and sprinkle the surface with the remaining 1 Tbs. sugar. Make steam vents in the dough by poking the tip of a paring knife through it in a few places; it’s important to vent well so that the steam from the cooking apples won’t build up and crack the top of the crust.

Bake the pie:

Cover the rim of the pie with aluminum foil bands. This will prevent the edge of the crust from overbrowning.

Place a rimmed baking sheet or an aluminum foil drip pan on the oven rack below the pie to catch any juices that overflow during baking. Set the pie on the rack above.

Bake until the top and bottom crusts are golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 60 to 75 minutes; to thicken, the juices must boil, so look for the bubbles through the steam vents or through cracks near the edges of the pie and listen for the sound of bubbling juices. During the last 5 minutes of baking, remove the foil bands from the edges of the pie. Cool the pie at least 3 hours and up to overnight before serving.