thanksgiving recipe | mini "deconstructed" pumpkin pies

Did I mention I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year?  It's been a long time since I hosted and I'm really looking forward to it.  My brother, sister-in-law, and their three little boys will be in town so we'll have a full house and table!  My Mum will make a few dishes (right, Mum?!!) which is a huge help and frankly how Thanksgiving should be, everyone sharing and pitching in.  I will probably make the turkey (favorite recipes anyone?  I use an old Bon Appetit recipe, but I'm open for new ideas), gravy, and a few sides.  And while this post is all about a dessert idea, I will be picking up a couple pies from my favorite local bakery this year.  However, if I was attending dinner, especially a large gathering, I would absolutely bring these mini cups of pumpkin pie.  They would steal the show!

One of the homes on the kitchen tour last weekend served a version of these in mini shot classes, about half the size of what I have here. (they were created by Amy Tobin, a local chef in Cincinnati.)  I knew right away I would recreate my own version this week.  My family LOVED them and couldn't quite believe they were getting pumpkin pie before Thanksgiving, like it was their luckiest day ever! :)  And for my non-crust loving children (how can they possibly be related to me?) this is the ideal way to serve and eat pumpkin pie.

^^ Are these not the cutest?  Little pecan acorns! Probably my favorite detail and super fast and easy to make. I melted semi sweet chocolate chips in the microwave until just melted, then spread a little in between two pecan halves to stick them together.  Then I dipped the tops in more melted chocolate and chopped pecans to create the little acorn hat.  I let them set up at room temperature, which they did pretty quickly.^^

^^I used pre-made pie crusts, the kind that you unroll, to create the leaves.  I prefer Trader Joe's brand simply because it doesn't contain BHT, a petroleum based preservative that Andrew is sensitive to.  The mini leaf cutter is an old Pampered Chef item.  I brushed the "leaves" with an egg wash (one egg + 1 TBS water) and topped with turbinado sugar, then baked at 350 for about 12-15 minutes.^^

Crustless Pumpkin Pie Recipe

(Adapted from this Molasses Spice Pumpkin Pie)

**you can use any favorite pumpkin pie recipe you like, just skip the crust and grease the pie dish instead before pouring in the filling**

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin

2 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1 1/2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses

Mix first 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add pumpkin, eggs, cream, milk, and molasses; whisk filling to blend.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour filling into greased pie dish. Bake pie until set in center and slightly puffed around edges, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Pie will still giggle a little when you remove it from the oven, it will finish setting up as it cools.  Let pie cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours, then place in fridge.  Pumpkin pie is best made a day in advance.

To assemble - cut a bite size, or slightly larger if using ramekins like I did, piece of pie.  Top with fresh bourbon whipped cream (1 cup cold, heavy whipping cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 TBS powdered sugar, 1 TBS bourbon (optional), add a couple pie crust leaves and a pecan acorn and you are set!  If not eating right away, they should be kept on the fridge.  

(Note: For children I did not add bourbon to the whipped cream ;))

Enjoy!!