Szechuan Pepper Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving can be a time of both tradition and innovation. I’m particularly proud of coming up with this one to go with a loosely Asian themed Thanksgiving dinner with some international friends.

To a cup of heavy cream add:

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 1 clove

• 1 heaping teaspoon of cardamom pods

• 1/2 a star anise pod (3 to 4 petals)

• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, whole

• 1-2 dried chilies

• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

• 1 tablespoon dark or spiced rum

Bring cream mixture to simmer in sauce pan. Remove from heat and steep for 2+ hours. Let steep in the refrigerator all day for maximum effect. 

Strain spices out of cream

Preheat oven to 425

In large mixing bowl, whisk together:

• Spiced cream

• 1 can pumpkin purée

• 3/4 cups brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon fresh ground Szechuan pepper

Add mixture to par-baked pie shell.

Bake at 425 for 50-60 minutes, until pie shell is golden brown and center of pie has a slight wobble when shaken.