Sugar Free Spicy Pumpkin Pie

  

All You Need:

Pumpkin Filling
15 oz. pumpkin or squash puree (A single can of Libby's works for me)
12 fl. oz. Evaporated Milk
3 large eggs
3/4 cup Splenda (the loose cooking stuff in the large bag, not the packets)
1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 rounded teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 rounded teaspoon ground cloves
A generous pinch of ground black pepper

Pie Crust
I rarely make my own. I use a pre-made store-bought favorite. But feel free to make your own. Make enough to line the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Do not blind bake it!

Oven
9-inch pie plate
2 mixing bowls (a large one for the pumpkin and a small one for the spices)
Mixing implements

What You Do:

Preheat oven to 425°. Line pie plate with pie shell. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the Splenda, spices, and salt until well combined. This mix should be very fragrant.




In a large bowl, crack and beat the eggs. Then, gentle stir in the pumpkin and spice mixture until well combined. Gradually add and gently stir the evaporated milk.




Pour into pie shell and bake in 425° oven for 15 minutes.




Reduce the oven temperature to 350° and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes. You're looking for a well formed "custard" in which you can insert a knife and it will pull out cleanly. Cool until desired temperature. 




Optional: serve with whipped cream. I find this pie comes out very light. I like to make a sugar free whipped cream with a little cream cheese mixed in to give it some extra "oompf". Mix 2 Tablespoons cream cheese with 3/4 cup cold heavy whipping cream and 1 Tablespoon Splenda and a splash of vanilla until stiff peaks forms. (Psst....this pie is also beautiful warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream)

The Wordy Bit

So, you've probably noticed (if you use the Libby's pie recipe from the can) that it isn't too terribly different than Libby's. That was my base recipe that I have modified over the years. I added an extra egg when I substituted the Splenda for the sugar. I do this because Splenda leeches so much moisture out of whatever it's put into. The extra egg helps retain the original structure and creaminess. The spices. Well, I always found the Libby's recipe a bit lacking in the spice department. I tried doubling the spices, but then you can't taste the pumpkin. So, I stuck with rounded measures. It adds a little extra, and that pinch of ground black pepper really elevates the other spices. It also adds the slightest tingle of heat to the end of the bite. I find that counteracts the "cooling" effect that using Splenda can cause. 

The custard comes out delicate and light, so it's perfect to pair with a heavy dinner. Also, something I did last time I made it, I find the custard goes quite well in a bowl of oatmeal for a delicious breakfast. Enjoy and happy holiday season!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ooey-Gooey Caramel Apple Pie

Image
  All You Need: Apple Filling 4-6 medium apples (I use 5-6 Rome apples, because that's what we picked at the orchard) 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 cup white, granulated sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour Pie Crust I rarely make my own. I use a pre-made store-bought favorite. But feel free to make your own. Make enough to line the bottom of a deep dish 9 inch pie plate. Streusel Topping 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup butter, slightly softened Oven Deep dish 9-inch pie plate 2 mixing bowls (a large one for the apples and a medium one for the topping) Chef's knife and cutting board What You Do: First things first, preheat your oven to 425°. Core and slice the apples to about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick. You can peel them, if you like. I don't. Partly because I'm lazy and partly because I think it helps them retain the...
Read more

Super Easy No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream

Image
All You Need: 1 1/2 - 2 lbs strawberries, fresh or frozen (hulled and halved) 1-2 Tablespoons white, granulated sugar 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 can (14 oz) Sweetened, Condensed Milk 1-2 teaspoons vanilla some sort of storage container, 7 cup capacity freezer food processor or blender a hand or stand mixer helps, too What You Do: First things first, we need to heighten the flavor of the strawberries while also removing the majority of the water from them. I do this in a two-step process:  I started by mixing my strawberries (I've used fresh and frozen) with sugar and placing them in the fridge to macerate. With fresh strawberries, this process can take 8-12 hours (or up to 24). With frozen strawberries, you're also wanting them to thaw, so it's best to give them a full 24 hours.  After they have sat in sugar for 24 hours, drain them as much as possible. But do not rinse them! And blend them in a food processor or with a blender. I have blended them...
Read more

My How the Time Flew!

Image
 The Wordy Bit I accidentally took over a month off! How did that happen?? Well, to be perfectly honest, I do know how it happened. Here at our house, it has been a summer full of gardening, cooking, baking, prepping, teen drama, and toddler drama. Not to mention, the Mr. is still working from home, and that can impact the daily flow. As such, the daily flow now looks nothing like it did this time last year. I also can't decide which I prefer: then or now. I truly enjoy having him around more, but our little is still having difficulty grasping the fact that Daddy needs to work. I'm hoping that starting preschool in a few weeks will keep her busy enough to even her out a bit.  That's right, I said preschool. I've been stocking up on supplies, and I even purchased a curriculum (The Homegrown Preschooler). I like the fact that it is all hands-on and craft-based. I even like that there are opportunities to include faith-based learning (I swapped their stuff out for my stuff...
Read more