Pumpkin Meringue Pie
Submitted by mrspike
Pumpkin pie topped with a tall, golden meringue instead of whipped cream. Spiced pumpkin custard with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a flaky crust.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
50 minREADY
70 minThis pumpkin pie swaps the usual dollop of whipped cream for a billowy, browned meringue that turns it into something far more dramatic. The filling is a classic spiced pumpkin custard made with egg yolks and evaporated milk, while the whites get saved for the topping.
Separating the eggs does double duty here. Yolks make the filling richer and smoother than whole-egg pumpkin pie, while the whites whip into stiff, glossy peaks that brown into a toasty shell in just 5 minutes at high heat.
The meringue goes on while the pie is still warm from its first bake. Start at the edges and seal the meringue to the crust all the way around before filling in the center. Gaps let steam escape and cause the meringue to weep.
Pro Tips
- Seal the meringue to the crust edge completely. Any gap between meringue and crust causes shrinkage and liquid pooling underneath.
- Add sugar to the egg whites one tablespoon at a time and beat well after each addition. Rushing this step makes a grainy, weepy meringue.
- Test the filling with a knife inserted halfway between center and edge. The center will still jiggle slightly but sets as it cools.
- Use a flatware knife to pull small peaks in the meringue before the final bake. They brown at different rates and create that gorgeous golden-tipped look.
Variations
- Add ¼ teaspoon ground ginger to the spice mix for a sharper, more complex warmth.
- Torch the meringue with a kitchen torch instead of oven-browning for more dramatic, uneven charring.
- Fold ¼ cup of toasted coconut into the meringue before spreading for a tropical pumpkin pie.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the pumpkin, the ½ cup sugar, spices, and ½ teaspoons of salt in a bowl and mix well.
Add the egg yolks, stirring until well blended, then, gradually, blend in the evaporated milk.
Pour into the unbaked pie shell.
Bake in a preheated 400℉ (200℃) oven for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted halfway between the center and edge comes out clean.
Remove the pie from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
To make the meringue, beat the egg whites and the ⅛ teaspoon of salt in a bowl, using an electric mixer set on high, until foamy.
Gradually add the 6 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.
Continue beating until stiff.
Spoon some of the meringue around the edge of the warm pie.
Spread the meringue so that it touches the inner edge of the crust all the way around the pie, using the back of a spoon to do this.
Heap the remaining meringue in the center and, again using the back of the spoon, push it out to meet with the meringue border.
Using a flatware knife, form light small peaks in the meringue and then bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned.
Cool on a wire rack.
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