This spiced chestnut and pumpkin meringue pie recipe is a seasonal twist on an old favourite. A delicious winter pudding.
Ingredients
- 450g pumpkin flesh, sliced into 1cm pieces
- 100g cooked, peeled chestnuts (or vacuum-packed cooked and peeled whole chestnuts), quartered
- 200ml double cream
- 50g muscovado sugar
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 50ml golden syrup
- 2 large free-range eggs plus 2 more, separated
- 2 large knobs stem ginger (from a jar), chopped
- 65g caster sugar
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
For the pastry
- 275g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 125g unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 large free-range egg yolk
Method
- 1. For the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and add the butter. Gently rub together with your fingers until it resembles crumbs. Stir in a pinch of salt and the icing sugar. Add the egg yolk and 1-2 tbsp ice-cold water, then mix quickly with a flat-bladed knife to bring together. Turn out of the bowl and lightly knead to a dough. Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
- 2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 28cm circle. Use to line a 24cm pie dish. Prick the base all over with a fork and lay a sheet of baking paper over the top. Fill with baking beans or rice. Blind-bake for 10-12 minutes until golden, then remove the beans or rice and bake for 5-10 minutes until sandy to the touch.
- 3. Put the pumpkin in a pan along with the chestnuts, 130ml of the cream, the muscovado sugar and enough hot water to cover. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is soft enough to push a knife through.
- 4. Remove the pumpkin and chestnuts with a slotted spoon, then turn up the heat and cook to evaporate most of the liquid. Return the pumpkin to the pan with the spices and syrup and mash as smooth as you can.
- 5. Beat the whole eggs and yolks with the remaining cream and ginger, then stir into the pumpkin mix. Pour into the pastry base and bake for 45-50 minutes until just set.
- 6. Beat the egg whites until they hold their shape, then gradually whisk in the caster sugar and lemon juice until stiff peaks form.
- 7. Turn the oven down to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3. Take out the pie and top with swirls of meringue. Return to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature, with cream.
Nutritional info
Per serving (based on 10): 426kcals, 24.8g fat (14.4g saturated), 6.6g protein, 47.4g carbs, 21.5g sugar, 0.2g salt