Jens Killer Pie Crust Recipes

JEN'S MAPLE PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place pumpkin halves, cut-side down, on prepared baking sheet.
• Roast pumpkin in the preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle, at least 15 minutes. Remove seeds from pumpkin and discard. Scoop pumpkin flesh into a food processor and blend until smooth. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• While pumpkin is roasting, roll out pie dough to fit in a 9-inch pie dish. Crimp edges to form a border. Refrigerate dough until chilled, at least 45 minutes.
• Line chilled pie dough with 2 sheets of aluminum foil and pour pie weights into the foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is set on the sides and lightly golden on the border, about 25 minutes. Remove aluminum foil with pie weights. Whisk egg white and water together in a small bowl. Brush border of pie crust with egg white mixture and return to oven. Bake until bottom of the pie appears dry and set, about 10 minutes more. Remove crust from oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Whisk 2 cups pumpkin puree, cream, eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt together in a bowl until smooth. Pour pumpkin mixture into baked pie crust.
• Bake pie in the preheated oven until just set in the center, about 50 minutes.

JEN'S KILLER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Pour flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor and pulse to combine.
• Sprinkle shortening chunks over the flour mixture. Pulse in the food processor until mixture has a sandy texture, 3 to 5 one-second pulses.
• Scatter butter pieces over the top of the flour mixture. Pulse in the food processor until butter is the size of small peas, 10 to 15 one-second pulses.
• Sprinkle water over the top of the butter-flour mixture. Pulse until mixture just starts to come together, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary. Turn dough out into a bowl. Gently squeeze dough together with your hands to form a ball; the dough should hold together but also still be slightly crumbly. Divide dough into two balls and wrap with plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to flatten the ball into a disc. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.

JEN'S CRANBERRY APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine pink apples, Granny Smith apples, cranberries, brown sugar, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla together in a bowl and stir until apples are completely coated.
• Roll out and line a pie dish with 1/2 the dough. Pour apple mixture into pie dish. Dot apple mixture with butter pieces. Roll out remaining 1/2 the dough and top apple mixture with dough. Pinch edges of bottom and top crusts together. Tuck in dough and crimp to form a border. Cut vents in the top of the dough and place pie on a baking sheet.
• Bake pie in the preheated oven until apples are tender, filling is bubbling, and crust is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.