PUMPKIN MERINGUE PIE

Serves 8 to 10

LIKE CILANTRO AND CIRCUS CLOWNS, PUMPKIN PIE CAN BE QUITE POLARIZING. Some take a hard pass, whereas others can’t imagine cold-weather holidays without it. My earliest pumpkin pie memories involve trying not to stick my fingers in a store-bought Mrs. Smith’s pie on Thanksgiving Day, baked from frozen that morning and cooling on the washing machine in the tiny laundry room off the kitchen at Gramma’s house, while the rest of the Thanksgiving meal was prepared. By the time dinner was finished and the desserts rolled out, I was more interested in stealing spoonfuls from the Cool Whip tub next to the pie than I was in the pie itself. I became a late-in-life pumpkin pie convert, especially the homemade kind (no offense to Mrs. Smith), and have grown to love the simplicity and warming spices in an amber slice at the end of a celebratory meal.

A swooping, marshmallow-y Italian meringue topping manages to feel as luxurious as whipped cream but is free of fat, which balances nicely with a rich pumpkin custard. Italian meringue holds particularly well, so it can be made several hours ahead of time and transported easily if you find yourself on pumpkin pie duty for a gathering, and you get to wow the crowd as you torch it just before it hits the dessert buffet.

FILLING:

1 (15-ounce/425 g) can pure pumpkin purée

3 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 cup/240 g heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons brandy

½ cup/113 g firmly packed dark muscovado or dark brown sugar

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder or freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

CRUST:

1 single batch My Favorite Pie Crust (here), blind baked and cooled

TOPPING:

1 batch Italian Meringue (here)

Position an oven rack the center position and preheat the oven to 325°F/170°C.

Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, egg yolk, cream, and brandy until well blended. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, spices, and salt. Whisk the spiced sugar into the pumpkin mixture.

Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell and bake until the filling is set but wobbles ever so slightly in the very center when jiggled, about 1 hour (the filling will set further as it cools). Turn off the oven and let the pie cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack. The untopped pie can be loosely covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days before serving.

To serve, use some paper towel to gently dab any excess moisture from the top of the pie. Pile the meringue atop the pie. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue to a deep golden brown.