The World’s Best Pumpkin Pie

I come from a people who are serious about Pumpkin Pie. I’m a snob, frankly. I have never eaten a pumpkin pie that I liked half as much as our family recipe. And my whole family feels the same way. I’d like to say the secret is love, but it isn’t. It’s molassas. Seriously. This is a poor farmer’s pie, light on spices, heavy on flavors. And it is absolutely delicious.

We love it so much, I even immortalized the recipe on tea towels for my family one year!

I will tell you: I may be disinherited for sharing this recipe with you. But we are friends, right? So here it is — the Livdahl Family Pumpkin Pie. Enjoy!

The Livdahl Family Pumpkin Pie

1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2/3 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. white sugar
1 T. plus 1 t. molasses (the secret ingredient)
1/8 t. (heaping) powdered cloves
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. ginger
1/2 heaping t. salt
3 eggs slightly beaten
1 1/3 c. scalded milk

Stir the ingredients together in the order listed and heat on the stove a bit (until it starts to thicken). Pour into a pie crust and bake at 400* for 15 min. Then cool the oven down to 350* and bake for 30 minutes -- until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cooking time totally depends on your oven and the depth of your pie pan. The real test is always the knife.

I always make an extra crust, too. I have a great little set of cookie cutters in leaf shapes that make for the prettiest trim on a pie. And I serve my pie with whipped cream, slightly sweetened.

A Note about Scalding: In the past people have asked about "scalding" the milk. Here's what you do... pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pan. Heat it on the stove until it is almost ready to boil. I usually remove it from the heat when small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan.

Why do this? Well, you are really making a custard, and the whole thing comes together much more easily (and without lumps) when the ingredients are warm. However, don't boil the milk, and make sure you stir as you are adding the ingredients or you can end up with scrambled eggs and/or lumps in your pie. So, there you are... scalding!