From the telly to your belly, recreating recipes from television
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Hello Upper East Siders, and welcome to our series ‘Gobblebox’, where we show you how to recreate recipes from the small screen, so you can bring the telly to your belly. This week, we're putting Christmas aside for just a minute and travelling to the Big Apple to revisit a show that does Thanksgiving like no other, GOSSIP GIRL.
SPOTTED, lots of delicious food as we explore the scandalous lives of Manhatten's elite. But perhaps the most iconic is Blair Waldorf's number one Thanksgiving vice, the PUMPKIN PIE. Move over Bobby Flay, there's a new slice in town, and it's more than meets the pies...
This recipe is in the style of a classic American style pie dough. It doesn't use eggs to bind it as European pie doughs usually do and it has a higher flour to butter ratio than a shortcrust pastry. Keeping the butter cold is the key achieving a flaky crust. Those tiny solid chunks of butter packed into the dough will then melt in the oven, the moisture will evaporate from the butter and created air pockets in the dough, resulting in a light, flaky, layered dough.
PSA! If you feel there isn't enough Taylor Momson in this Gossip Girl special, then be sure to check out last week's episode of Bite Club where we joined a baby Jenny Humphries for a helping of Who Hash in "How The Grinch Stole Christmas".
Right, go pop on a headband, grab a slice, and meet me on the steps of The Met because it's time... Blair Waldorf Must Pie.
XO XO,
Gossip girl.
GO TO:
PUMPKIN PIE
Features in Gossip Girl, Series 1, Episode 1 "Blair Waldorf Must Pie" and in Series 2, Episode 11 “The Magnificent Archibalds”.
INGREDIENTS
DOUGH
300g plain flour
200g cold unsalted butter (cubed)
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp icing sugar
FILLING
300g of pumpkin
100g light brown sugar
150 ml double cream
2 large eggs
2 tbsps milk
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp kosher salt
¾ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp cloves
TO SERVE
Whipped cream
METHOD: DOUGH
Place the flour, salt and sugar into a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Alternatively, use a pastry blender, avoid handling the pastry or the butter will melt.
Place the mixture into a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons of ice cold water, mixing to combine. Add additional water one tablespoon at a time, until it comes together into a ball.
Place the dough onto a worktop and bring together, handling as little as possible. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour.
SHAPING AND BLIND BAKING
Preheat the oven to 210°C / 190°C fan.
Take half of the dough and roll into a round shape about 2 mm thick. Transfer to a 24 cm pie dish. No need to grease the pie dish as the dough contains so much butter.
Trim the excess, leaving a 2 cm overhang. Fold back the excess pastry and tuck it between the pastry case and the pie dish. Crimp the edges.
Prick the base of the pie case all over with a fork. Line with baking paper and pour in baking beans or dried rice/beans to weigh down the pastry base.
Blind bake the pie case for 15 mins.
After 15 mins, remove the pie case from the oven and carefully remove the hot baking beans and baking paper exposing the base of the pie crust. Return to the oven for a further 10 mins until the base is a uniform, colour and there are no visible patches of raw dough.
Remove the case from the oven and leave aside on a wire rack to cool. Do not remove from the tin.
DECORATIONS (OPTIONAL)
You can use the remaining pastry for decorative additions to your pie. Alternatively, the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months and used at a later date.
For decoration, simply roll the pastry to around 2 mm thick and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. Leaves, pumpkins or turkeys are the perfect thanksgiving additions.
Brush milk over the decorations using a pastry brush. I prefer to use a milk wash for this as a heavier egg wash can cause the pattern in the dough to fill in and become less defined.
Preheat the oven to 210°C / 190°C fan, and bake the pastry decorations on a lined baking tray for 8-12 mins until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack and leave aside until you are ready to serve.
METHOD: PUMPKIN FILLING
Mix together the milk and corn flour in a small bowl to form a slurry.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, salt, vanilla and spices until combined.
Crack in the eggs, pour in the cream and whisk until smooth.
ASSEMBLING THE PIE
Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan.
Pour the filling into the cooked pie crust and bake for 40-45 mins until set but with a slight wobble in the centre. Halfway, check the edges of the pastry aren't catching, if they're getting to dark, tent the edges with foil to prevent further browning.
Once set but with a slight wobble in the centre, remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Serve cooled decorated with the pastry leaves and with freshly whipped cream. Flavoring the cream will add an extra dimension… vanilla, rum or pumpkin spice seasoning all complement well. Play around!
You know you love it…
XOXO
Gossip Girl
