Ingredients
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour2-1/4 teaspoons sugar1/4 teaspoon salt1/3 cup cold unsalted butter1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening2 to 4 tablespoons cold waterFILLING:1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream1/2 cup whole milk1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/8 teaspoon ground ginger1/8 teaspoon ground cloves4 large egg yolks1/2 cup sugar1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin1 teaspoon vanilla extract3 tablespoons turbinado (washed raw) sugar or sugar
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter and shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
Roll out pastry to fit a metal 9-in. pie pan. Transfer pastry to pie pan. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Line pastry with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
In a large saucepan, heat the cream, milk, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger and cloves until bubbles form around sides of pan. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar. Remove cream mixture from the heat; stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolk mixture. Return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla. Pour into pie shell.
Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
If using a creme brulee torch, sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Heat sugar with the torch until caramelized. If broiling the pie, place pie on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Broil 8 in. from the heat for 4-7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Refrigerate leftovers.
