Description
Creamy chai spices dance through this pumpkin meringue pie, weaving warmth and comfort into each delectable slice. Seasonal comfort arrives with silky textures and aromatic notes you’ll savor from first bite to final crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Pumpkin and Spices:
- 1.5 cups pumpkin puree
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.25 teaspoon allspice
Liquids and Sweeteners:
- 0.75 cup brown sugar
- 0.5 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon loose-leaf black tea
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Binding and Thickening Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare a 9-inch pie dish with the pastry crust, ensuring even coverage along the bottom and sides.
- Combine pumpkin puree with egg yolks, creating a smooth, rich base for the filling.
- Incorporate sugar, brown sugar, milk, and chai concentrate into the pumpkin mixture, blending until the texture is uniform and silky.
- Infuse the filling with warm spices, stirring thoroughly to distribute aromatic flavors evenly.
- Carefully pour the spiced pumpkin mixture into the prepared pie crust, maintaining a consistent depth.
- Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, watching for a slight jiggle in the center that indicates perfect custard consistency.
- Allow the pie to cool completely, creating a stable foundation for the meringue topping.
- Whip egg whites with cream of tartar, generating a light, airy base for the meringue.
- Gradually introduce sugar while continuing to beat, transforming the mixture into glossy, stiff peaks.
- Spread the meringue across the cooled pie, sculpting elegant, dramatic peaks with a spatula.
- Finish the pie in a 400°F oven for 6-8 minutes, achieving a golden-brown, caramelized meringue surface.
- Rest the pie at room temperature for optimal serving texture and flavor melding.
Notes
- Swap dairy milk with coconut or almond milk for a dairy-free version that maintains the creamy texture and rich flavor profile.
- Reduce sugar content by using monk fruit sweetener or stevia for a low-sugar alternative that keeps the pie’s delightful taste.
- Toast meringue peaks carefully to prevent burning, using a kitchen torch for more controlled browning if you have one available.
- Enhance chai flavor by steeping additional chai tea bags in warm milk before mixing into the pumpkin filling for deeper, more complex spice notes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 153 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 22 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg