It’s Fall, y’all! Of course, here in the Mountain South, the beginning of fall feels a lot like the end of summer. We even have False Fall, where Mother Nature teases us with crisp days that start with a slight nip in the air, only to return to hot and humid once we’ve put on our first sweaters. As I sweated this first week of autumn, I decided to share a dessert that doesn’t require you to turn on the oven, unless you want to.
Most people are familiar with the simple No-Bake Pumpkin Pie. Here’s the quick recipe: In a bowl, mix one small box of instant vanilla pudding, 1/4 cup of milk, 1 cup of pumpkin puree, and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Fold in a small tub of Cool Whip. Place in a ready-made graham cracker pie crust and chill. Eat.
That’s a fine, quick dessert. But what if we can transform the ordinary into something blissful, something dreamy? I created a delicious pie that does just that, by taking each element and elevating it. Even if you stick to the old faithful quick recipe, you can use one or all of my hacks, or get inspired to create your own.
Recipes for Dreamy No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Components:
For the crust…Make your own crust using a cookie or wafer of your choice. I made two pies, one using Biscoff cookies and the other, ginger snaps. Both are delicious and give an added flavor boost compared to graham crackers.
Here’s a quick crust recipe: In a bowl, combine 6 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2 cups of finely ground cookies of your choice (Biscoff, ginger snaps, shortbread, vanilla wafers, Oreo cookies minus the cream, etc.). The mixture should look like sandcastle sand. Press it into your pie pan, starting with the edges. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to flatten the bottom. Either bake at 350F for 10 minutes for a toasted flavor, or pop it in the freezer while you’re making the fillings.
Add a bottom chocolate layer…Chocolate ganache adds a punch of yumminess to just about anything, and it’s simple to make. You can spread a layer on the bottom of your pie crust and let it cool in the fridge. For flavors in this pie, I added espresso powder, vanilla, and cinnamon. You won’t need the entire recipe for this pie, but I’m sure you’ll find a way to enjoy the leftovers. 🙂
Chocolate Ganache: In a bowl, put 8 ounces of finely chopped chocolate, or do what I do and use chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark chocolate, or a combo.) I like the minis because they stir up faster. It’s 1 1/3 cups if you don’t have a scale. In the microwave, heat 3/4 cup heavy cream to boiling. Pour over the chips and stir until the chocolate is melted. Now you can add flavors: a tablespoon (or more to taste) of instant espresso powder, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of spices like cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, etc., a tablespoon of your favorite liqueur, etc. Ganache will thicken and set up as it cools.
Make a Fabulous Pumpkin Filling…My dreamy filling is a combination of three things: canned pumpkin puree (the easy part), pastry cream, and a special mascarpone whipped cream.
Scratch-made pastry cream is much more delicious than instant pudding. I did something new for me on this one by soaking 2 chai tea bags in the hot half-and-half before adding it to my egg mixture. This subtle flavor infusion worked well. I’ve adjusted the size of this recipe to yield about 1 1/2 cups of pastry cream for this pie.
Pastry Cream: In the microwave, heat to near boiling 1 1/2 cups half-and-half (you can use milk). In a separate glass bowl, use a hand mixer to beat 5 egg yolks, 1/2 cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste (or extract), and a pinch of salt until light and fluffy. Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into the egg mixture. Making sure your half-and-half is very hot, temper the egg mixture by adding a small amount of the half-and-half while you mix it in. Slowly add the rest and stir well. Place the mixture into the microwave and cook on high for one minute, and stir. Cook again for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until the mixture thickens. Let it cool completely before using. I put mine in a metal bowl that fits into a same-size metal bowl filled with ice and stir. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Mascarpone is like a fancy cream cheese, but more elegant. It’s used in tiramisu, among other things, and it’s perfect when added to whipping cream. Maple syrup fits right into our fall theme. Beautiful to pipe and makes a great filling for cakes, too. And it’s more stable than straight whipped cream.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream: In a chilled mixing bowl, combine 8 ounces mascarpone (let it sit out for an hour to slightly soften it), 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste. Whip together on high until soft peaks form. It won’t take as long as you think, only 1 or 2 minutes. Don’t overmix as it can get grainy. Use right away or store in the fridge until needed, up to 2 days. You can make it sweeter if you prefer.
Putting It All Together…
Whip the pastry cream briefly with a mixer to make it creamy again after it has set up. Add 1 cup of canned pumpkin puree and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Once combined well, add in 1 full cup (or more if you like) of the mascarpone whipped cream and stir well. Place the filling in the ganache-lined cookie crumb pie crust and spread evenly. Either now or after chilling, decorate as desired by piping more of the mascarpone whipped cream and sprinkling with crushed candied nuts, chocolate shavings, extra cookie crumbs, caramel drizzle, or whatever else you like. Keep the pie cold until ready to serve.