Roasted Butternut Brown-Butter Pumpkin Pie

Method

1. For the crust, mix the flour, sugar and part of the salt in a bowl. Add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the pieces are the size of peas. Add the ice water a spoonful at a time, tossing with a fork, and stop as soon as the dough holds together when squeezed. Shape it into a flat disc, wrap and chill for 30 min. Those visible bits of butter are what make the crust flaky.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 120 gSugar (for the dough) 1 tspSalt 1¼ pinchUnsalted butter, very cold, in 1 cm cubes 75 gIce water 2½ tbsp

2. Heat the oven to 200 °C. Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and roast it cut side down on a lined tray for 40 min, until a skewer slides through to the skin and the cut face is browned in spots. Let it cool a little, scoop out the flesh and purée it until very smooth in a blender or with a fork.

   Add in this stepButternut squash (weight with skin and seeds) 350 g

   oven

3. Melt the browning butter in a frying pan over medium heat. When the foam settles, brown specks appear on the bottom and it smells nutty, immediately add the squash purée, brown sugar, cinnamon, grated ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Cook for 7 min, stirring constantly, until it is thick enough that a spatula drawn through it leaves a trail you can see the pan through for a moment. Cooking off the water gives a richer, firmer filling. Tip into a bowl and let it cool until just warm.

   Add in this stepButter (for browning) 10 gLight brown sugar 50 gGround cinnamon ½ tspFresh ginger, finely grated 5 gGround nutmeg 1 pinchGround cloves 1 pinch

   medium heat

4. On a lightly floured counter, roll the dough 3 mm thick and line the 14 cm pan, pressing it into the corners. Fold the edge under and crimp it with your fingers. Prick the base with a fork and freeze it for 15 min, until firm.

5. Lower the oven to 190 °C. Line the crust with crumpled baking paper, fill it with pie weights (dried beans or rice) and bake in the oven for 14 min. Lift out the paper and weights, brush the base thinly with a little of the beaten egg and bake 5 min more, until pale golden. The egg seals the base so it stays crisp. Take it out and lower the oven to 160 °C.

   Add in this stepEggs, beaten and weighed (about 50 g per egg) 5 g

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6. Gently whisk the rest of the egg, the filling cream, milk, vanilla and the remaining salt into the cooled purée. Push it through a fine sieve to catch any fibres and lumps; this is what gives a silky filling.

   Add in this stepEggs, beaten and weighed (about 50 g per egg) 45 gHeavy cream (for the filling) 80 mlWhole milk 40 mlVanilla extract ½ tspSalt 1¾ pinch

7. Pour the filling into the warm crust to 5 mm below the edge and bake in the oven at 160 °C for 32 min. Take it out when the edges are set and only a 3–4 cm circle in the centre wobbles; with a thermometer, 80 °C in the centre is perfect. A low oven keeps the top smooth and free of cracks.

   oven

8. Cool on a wire rack for 1 h 30 min, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, whip the cold topping cream with the maple syrup to soft peaks and spoon it generously onto each slice.

   Add in this stepHeavy cream (for topping) 80 mlMaple syrup 1 tbsp