Indulgent Pumpkin Pie Spectacular

Looking for a showstopper dessert for fall festivities or because you have a pumpkin spice craving?  Southern Living has a gorgeous, delicious pumpkin pie that is enhanced with an extra crust of gingersnaps and pecans and, after the filling has partially baked, is further adorned with a brown sugar-pecan streusel topping. To put it really over the top, just before serving it is embellished with whipped cream. The recipe calls for ginger flavored whipped cream and some ginger cookie garnish, but the plain, luxurious whipped cream is garnish enough.

Because this pie starts with a refrigerated pie crust, it is not as difficult as it sounds. The pie crust is fitted to a deep dish pie pan, then a mixture of finely ground gingersnap cookies, finely chopped pecans, powdered sugar and melted butter are mixed together for the inner crust. The filling is rich with pumpkin, sour cream, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and spices, plus vanilla. The streusel has flour, brown sugar and pecans, moistened with more melted butter. No one said that this was health food! The finished pie, glamorously topped with dollops of whipped cream, has elements of both pecan and pumpkin pie. You only need thin slices because this is a rich, decadent dessert.  

Pumpkin Pie Spectacular
makes one pie - recipe from Southern Living Magazine
 

1/2 (15 oz.) package refrigerated pie crusts (one disc of pie dough)

2 cups crushed gingersnaps (about 35-40 cookies)

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 tablespoons butter (1/4 cup), melted

 15 oz. canned pumpkin

14 oz. canned sweetened condensed milk

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pecan Streusel (see below)

Whipped cream, ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Fit pie crust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.

2. Stir together crushed gingersnaps and next 3 ingredients. Press mixture on bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pie crust.

3. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes).

4. Stir together pumpkin and next 6 ingredients until well blended. Pour into prepared crust. Place pie on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

5. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle Pecan Streusel around edge of crust. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until set, shielding edges with aluminum foil during last 25 to 30 minutes of baking, if necessary. 

Let cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Dollop with Whipped cream; dust with cinnamon.

Pecan Streusel

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

4 tablespoon butter, melted

1/4 cup pecans, chopped