Adriann Ramirez’s piloncillo pumpkin pie. Photograph: Laura Edwards/The Guardian. Food styling: Joss Herd. Prop styling: Tabitha Hawkins. View image in fullscreen Adriann Ramirez’s piloncillo pumpkin pie. Photograph: Laura Edwards/The Guardian. Food styling: Joss Herd. Prop styling: Tabitha Hawkins. Autumn food and drink Pumpkin, pecan, quince, apple or plum: Adriann Ramirez’s autumn pie recipes The pastry chef gives autumn’s best ingredients a golden glow-up
Prefer the Guardian on Google I have come to adore what the British autumn brings: beautiful apples, pumpkins, plums and quince galore. These pies not only sing the praises of this bounty, but put them front and centre. I also use ingredients such as piloncillo (a Mexican raw cane sugar), tonka bean (which adds a beautiful fig-leaf flavour) and buckwheat flour (for a wonderfully nutty taste). These aren’t always easy to find, but they are worth the extra effort, taking these bakes to the next level.
Prep 10 min Chill/Freeze 1 hr 30 min Cook 2 hr Serves 8-12
For the pie dough 90g cold water 30g apple cider vinegar 375g plain flour , plus extra for dusting 50g caster sugar 5g tab le salt 250g cold butter, cut into 6 chunks 1 egg, beaten, for brushing Double cream, lightly whipped, to serve
For the filling 200g double cream 115g whole milk 3 medium-sized eggs (170g) 300g grated pi lconcillo (panela), or brown sugar 50g maple syrup 425g tinned pumpkin 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp rum 2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp mixed spice A few gratings fresh nutmeg A few gratings tonka bean
Combine the water and vinegar in a container and put in the freezer for about 10 minutes, until cold.
Meanwhile, put the dry ingredients for the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Add the butter and, using the paddle attachment, mix on slow until it has broken down but some medium-large (flattened) pieces remain. (To do this by hand, use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour.)
Add the water/vinegar and mix again until it just comes together into a shaggy dough. Turn out on to a floured surface and bring the last bits together with your hands.
Using a rolling pin, flatten into a rough rectangle, cut into four equal pieces and stack the pieces on top of each other. Flatten into a rectangle again and repeat this process once more. Chill for one hour.
Once chilled, flour the work surface and dough, and roll it into a 25cm circle, roughly 3mm thick . Gently press the dough into a 23cm loose-bottomed pie tin, folding the overhang under itself to create a small edge. Using two fingers, push the edge in the opposite direction to crimp. Freeze for 15 minutes.
Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5. Line the pastry with scrunched up baking paper, fill with rice or baking beans, then bake for 15 minutes. Remove the rice/baking beans and parchment paper, and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes. Brush with the beaten egg and bake for a further five minutes to seal.
Turn the oven down to 150C (130C fan)/300F/gas 2. To make the filling, mix all the ingredients in a bowl with a whisk, until combined. Pour into the pie crust and bake for 45-50 minutes, until there is only a slight wobble to the filling.
Let the pie cool completely in the tin, then transfer to the fridge to chill. Serve cold with lightly whipped double cream.
View image in fullscreen Prep 10 min Chill/Freeze 1 hr 15 min Cook 1 hr 30 min Makes 8-12
For the dough 140g unsalted butter, softened 85g icing sug…