Pumpkin Pie for One

 

 

There are loads of pumpkin pie recipes out there, but very few which are sized just for one!  I found one the other day on a blog called One Dish Kitchen and I was very keen to try it for myself. 

It looked delicious, and I happened to have pumpkin leftover from when I baked the spiced chocolate pumpkin cake recipe last weekend.  I wanted to use some of that up. I froze the rest. 

 

Pumpkin is one of those things which actually freezes very well. I divide it into small plastic tubs and pop 1 cup of pumpkin puree into each one. Tightly sealed they will keep for quite a while in the freezer.

You never know when you will need a cup of pumpkin.  Its great for in soups, casseroles and bakes. When you live all by yourself as I do, you need to be quite practical when it comes to things like this.  I hate waste and my freezer is my best friend.

 

The idea of a pumpkin pie sized just for one really appealed to me. I quite like pumpkin pie  but would struggle to eat a whole pie all by myself.

When I was a child pumpkin pie was my least favorite of all the pies, although I used to eat it anyways.  Because it was, well, pie.  And beggars can't be choosers!

 

When it came to dessert at Thanksgiving every year, it was always Pumpkin Pie. That was it, so if you wanted dessert, you ate pumpkin pie.  I ate it begrudgingly because it was dessert and it was pie.

Happily, as an adult, I have come to really enjoy pumpkin pie.  It all started in the UK when I couldn't get tinned pumpkin. You never really know what you are going to miss until you can't get it anymore. 

 

I remember being so excited when I discovered tinned pumpkin in the grocery store over there one day. I quickly snapped about 6 tins of it, and lived happily ever after, lol.

My boss at the manor used to bring back tinned pumpkin whenever she went to America on business or holidays. They always had pumpkin soup for Thanksgiving and the key ingredient that was used for that was tinned pumpkin.

My first Thanksgiving in the UK I wanted to make a Thanksgiving dinner for the missionaries and I ended up making them a sweet potato pie because I couldn't get pumpkin.

 

Anyways I was really keen to make this pie.  I adapted it to use both North American and British ingredient measurements. I weighed it all out as I was making it.

It worked out perfectly.  I did add some vanilla extract to the filling because for me, a pumpkin pie should always have vanilla.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE FOR ONE

The usual suspects, with the exception of the crust. This one has a graham cracker crust instead of a pastry crust.

For the crust:

• 1/4 up (35g) graham cracker crumbs (can also use digestive biscuit crumbs or gingersnap crumbs)
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 TBS butter, melted

For the filling:

• 3 TBS granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup (70g) tinned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/4 cup (60ml) cream

 

It is recommended that you use a 10-ounce ramekin to make this pie.  It should measure 4 inches in diameter.  The size of the dish you use really matters. 

Too small and the pie will be too deep and will take much longer to cook.  Too large and the pie will be too thin and cook quicker. Neither of which is ideal.

This is the perfect size for this particular pie. I used a 4-inch round cake tin that I got on Amazon.  It actually comes in a set of two and is perfect for making smaller sized layer cakes.  

 

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE FOR ONE

Its really simple actually.  Starting off with the proper sized dish is the main thing, and the rest is relatively easy to  do.

Preheat the oven to 350*C/180*C/ gas mark 4. You will need a 10 ounce ramekin 4-inches in diameter, or a small 4-inch wide, deep cake tin. Spray with some nonstick cooking spray.

Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter for the crust in a small bowl. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the baking ramekin/tin firmly.

Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.

 

For the filling mix together the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl.

Add the pumpkin puree to the beaten egg along with the sugar/spice mixture. Beat together well. 

Whisk in the cream and vanilla.

Pour the pie filling over top of the baked crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until set. A knife inserted near the center should come out clean.

Cool completely on a wire rack.  Top with whipped cream to serve.

 

And that's it in a nutshell!  It was really delicious and I am quite happy adding this to my repertoire of recipes for one or two.  

Its a very generous pie actually.  If you are small eaters I actually think it would feed two people. In any case it is very tasty, especially with some squirty cream on top! 

Some other small sized desserts you might enjoy are:

DEEP DISH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE FOR ONE - This decadent dessert is so dangerous that you might even want to share it rather than eat it all on your own. Crispy edged and gooey centered.  This is best eaten warm and I have a personal preference for vanilla ice cream with this, rather than anything else.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES - This delicious dessert sports the Mexican flavor addition of ground cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne for a tiny bit of heat. Gooey centered, it is xcellent served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Recipe makes two single servings.

Pumpkin Pie for One

Yield: 1

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 50 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

Everything you come to expect in a traditional full sized pumpkin pie in a rich and delicious single serving pie for one.

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1/4 up (35g) graham cracker crumbs (can also use digestive biscuit crumbs or gingersnap crumbs)
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 TBS butter, melted

For the filling:

• 3 TBS granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup (70g) tinned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/4 cup (60ml) cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*C/180*C/ gas mark 4. You will need a 10 ounce ramekin 4-inches in diameter, or a small 4-inch wide, deep cake tin. Spray with some nonstick cooking spray.
2. Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter for the crust in a small bowl. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the baking ramekin/tin firmly.
3. Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
4. For the filling mix together the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl.
5. Add the pumpkin puree to the beaten egg along with the sugar/spice mixture. Beat together well. Whisk in the cream and vanilla.
6. Pour the pie filling over top of the baked crust.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until set. A knife inserted near the center should come out clean.
8. Cool completely on a wire rack.
9. Top with whipped cream to serve.

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