It took me a little while to put the pie together just because we don’t get things like ready made pastry dough and pumpkin puree here in India. You can always make this recipe from scratch – like I did but it will save you oodles of time if you just get these two things from the store.
The pumpkin filling that I made was more like a custard that I flavored with ground pumpkin seeds. Initially when I was developing this recipe, I wanted to combine tahini with it somehow, but as I thought more about it I felt that putting pumpkin seeds in pumpkin pie makes much more sense than putting sesame seeds. The result was a creamy & light custard with a beautiful color.
Once you have the basic custard pie ready, you can do various combinations with it. I added a layer of chocolate ganache in two of them and a layer of salted caramel sauce mixed in with toasted pumpkin seeds on the other two. You can also sprinkle some brown sugar on top of the pie and blowtorch it to make a creme brulee like topping….I bet that would be delicious!
Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate and Caramel
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 medium pies
Description
A decadent pumpkin pie featuring a creamy pumpkin custard, layered with rich chocolate ganache and topped with a salted caramel and toasted pumpkin seed layer.
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (170 g) cool butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) ice cold water
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 medium pumpkin or 2 cups (480 ml) plain pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) ground pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sugar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (35 g) toasted pumpkin seeds
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup (85 g) chocolate chips
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
Optional
- Optional: brown sugar for topping
Instructions
For the pastry dough
- In a large bowl add all the ingredients except water.
- Mix the butter into the flour using your hands. Rub the mixture between your palms till it starts resembling bread crumbs.
- Adding 1 tbs water at a time, mix till the mixture comes together as a dough.
- Wrap in a cling film and refrigerate for 2 hour.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
- Roll out each part into a round shape of about 1/8 inch of a thickness or large enough to cover the tart pan.
- Place the dough on the tart pan and trim the excess (if any).
- Makes 4 medium pies or 1 large pie.
- Bake in the oven at 350 F with pie weights or dried beans for about 30 to 40 minutes or till the the dough becomes golden.
For the pumpkin filling
- Preheat the oven at 400 F.
- Slice the pumpkin into 4 pieces and remove the seeds and the fiber attached to the seeds.
- Place on a baking tray, and fill a quarter of the tray with water. Bake for about 60 minutes or till the pumpkin is soft. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Using a steel spoon remove the fruit from the skin – you need about two cups of the fruit.
- In a blender add all the ingredients and blend till you get a smooth custard like puree.
- Pour the pie shells half way with the custard and bake at 325 F for 20 minutes.
- Let cool. Once you have this basic pie ready – you can add a layer of ganache (see below) or caramel (see below) or both if you like.
For caramel sauce
- In a saucepan set over low heat, combine the sugar and butter.
- Cook until it reaches a golden caramel color.
- Remove from the heat and add the cream. Whisk till everything is well combined and put back on the heat.
- Let it come to a boil again over low heat and cook until you reach a sauce like consistency.
- Add pumpkin seeds and let cool.
For the chocolate ganache
- Place chocolate in a bowl – big enough to mix.
- In a sauce pan over medium heat bring the cream to a boil.
- Pour over the chocolate. let it sit for a couple of minutes.
- With a help of a whisk mix together the cream and chocolate till you get a smooth chocolate ganache – free of any chocolate chunks.
Notes
- For a time-saving shortcut, use store-bought pastry dough and canned pumpkin puree.
- Experiment with toppings like a creme brulee sugar crust.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Toasting the pumpkin seeds enhances their flavor.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Chocolate
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 25
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 75
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Pumpkin Pie with Brown Sugar Meringue
- Gooey Salted Caramel Brownies
- Chocolate Bread Pudding with Crystalized Ginger, Caramel Drizzle, and Crème Fraîche
- Simple Caramel Apple Pie
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this recipe use ground pumpkin seeds in the filling instead of the usual spice blend?
I initially considered tahini but decided ground pumpkin seeds make more sense in a pumpkin pie. The result is ‘a creamy and light custard with a beautiful color’ — the seeds add a subtle nuttiness without the sweetness of a pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice blend.
How do I blind-bake the pastry shell so it doesn’t get soggy?
Fill the lined pie crust with parchment paper and pie weights (or dried beans) and bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes until golden. If you don’t want to make the from-scratch dough, store-bought pastry dough works as a time-saving shortcut.
What are the different topping options, and can I combine them?
You have three options: a layer of chocolate ganache, a salted caramel sauce with toasted pumpkin seeds, or a brown sugar brûlée crust made with a blowtorch. I made two pies with ganache and two with caramel — but you can absolutely combine them, and I’ve included instructions for both the ganache and the caramel sauce.
Absolutely worth the effort.