Deep Dish Pumpkin Pie with Dulce de Leche Walnut Streusel

Because I am so late posting this delicious recipe, it is with great shame that I announce that there is a picture of my Christmas dinner to follow. No. Your eyes do not deceive you. I am posting a recipe from the 25th of December on the 10th of April. To be fair though, it's pretty much the same weather here in London now in April as it was at Christmas. Oh. Except that it didn't snow at Christmas.

Here is a picture of the wonderful Christmas spread cooked by my sister and brother in law - we call them Gavity for convenience sake; Gavin and Kitty ... geddit?

As usual they cooked an amazing spread and probably out of pity and a desire to help me feel included, asked me to bring dessert. I just want to say I BROUGHT dessert though ;p I made this amazing pumpkin pie on crack as I like to call it, for my Thanksgiving get together and thought I would make it again and take some pictures this time and blog it. Unfortunately the lighting wasn't great so please forgive my sub-par photos and trust me when I say they are no reflection on how yummilicious this dessert is. It is a bit like a cheesecake on pie crust. My friend Susan reckons it's her favourite dessert ever! And despite the many elements to it, it is a reasonably easy dessert to make.

Recipe only slightly adapted from Sprinkle Bakes
Yield: One 9-inch pie

Walnut Streusel
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
85g cold unsalted butter
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Crust
240g unsalted butter
170g cream cheese, softened
2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.
2. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and knead together until smooth. Roll dough with a floured rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness. Gently lay dough inside spring-form pan and press up the sides. Allow a little of the crust to overhang the edges of the pan. Place dough-lined pan in the freezer and freeze until dough is stiff.
3. Preheat oven to 200C / Gas Mark 6 / 400F.

Pumpkin Pie Filling
1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (substitute mixed spice if you're in the UK)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
822g canned pumpkin puree
340g evaporated milk
1/2 cup double cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice (or mixed spice). Whisk in eggs, then pumpkin puree; beat until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk, cream, and vanilla. Pour filling into frozen pie crust. Cover edges of pie crust with aluminium foil.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 180C / Gas Mark 4 / 350F. Bake pie for 1 hour, then top with walnut streusel. Bake for 25 minutes more, then tent a piece of foil over the pie so that the streusel does not over-brown. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the pie is set but still slightly wobbly in the centre. Cut away the overhang crust if desired. Allow pie to completely cool then thoroughly chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Serve
397g Carnations Caramel

1. Just before serving, warm dulce de leche / caramel in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove top until loosened. Drizzle about 1/2 cup over the top of the pie and transfer the rest to a gravy boat and serve alongside pie.