None of this bogus “pumpkin-spice” nonsense. Pumpkin custard and chocolate pie is the real deal for Foodie Friday with real pumpkin and not just the spice.

Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News
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Pumpkin Custard, Chocolate Swirl Pie (Prep. time about 1 hour)

Crust

1 ½ C. cinnamon graham crackers, crushed (9 crackers)

¼ C. sugar

pinch of salt

1/3 C. butter, melted

Custard

4 eggs

½ C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. each nutmeg and ginger

pinch of salt

2 ½ C. milk

15 oz. can pumpkin puree (or make your own by slicing a de-seeded small pie pumpkin* <get the right kind of gord> into wedges and roasting at 350 for about an hour until tender. Spoon the meat away from the skin and mash up the meat.  Allow to cool to room temperature.)

½ C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 Tb. butter

Heat oven to 350.  Mix together the crushed graham crackers, sugar and salt. Stir in melted butter to thoroughly coat.  Press the mixture into a pie pan and “blind bake” about 15 minutes until set.

While the crust is baking, heat the milk over medium low heat until hot but not boiling.  Beat the eggs with a whisk.  When the milk is up to temperature, 'temper' the eggs by slowly adding a ladle of milk while stirring the eggs to keep them from cooking and scrambling. After a second ladle of milk, the eggs should be up to temperature so the rest of the milk can be stirred in. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except for the chocolate chips and butter.  After the crust has baked, increase the oven temperature to 370.  Pour the custard into the pie shell and start to bake. In a microwave-safe dish, melt together the butter and chocolate chips in the microwave (less than 1 minute).  After about 10 minutes of baking, the custard should start to set up.  Remove from oven.  With a spoon or pastry bag, swirl the melted chocolate on top of the pie in a spiral. Pull the chocolate through using a tooth pick or skewer alternating from the middle of the pie to the edge then from the edge to the middle.  Return pie to the oven and continue to bake until the custard is entirely set, it doesn’t jiggle and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

(*If you are making your own pumpkin puree, make sure you have a cooking or pie pumpkin.  If you get an ornamental variety it can be very bitter, okay, totally inedible! Some of the nicest pumpkin for cooking are white pumpkins.  As your farm market grower or whole food market, like Down to Earth Whole Foods in Endicott, for advice.)

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