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Make the ending different this year

Interesting sweets cap the big feast with style. Dessert is No. 1, even when it's last.

By TIMES WIRES
Published November 19, 2006

If you're looking to change your holiday repertoire, why not try a pumpkin chiffon tart made with a gingersnap pecan crust?

An easy apple pie or even pumpkin pie filling baked without the crust and called pudding make for welcome and interesting changes.

The creamy pumpkin chiffon mousse is balanced by a nutty-gingery crust. You'll need a candy thermometer to make sure your filling ingredients are hot enough before you add unflavored gelatin.

Good news is, there is no rolling pin required.

A modified version of Ken Haedrich's single crust Golden Delicious apple pie with oatmeal crumb topping, which appears in his book, Pie (Harvard Common Press, 2004), is an easy dessert with a big wow factor

The single crust halves the work normally involved in constructing an apple pie.

Simplify it even further by purchasing a ready-made pie shell.

Less work doesn't mean less flavor. Haedrich tops this pie with a thick and crunchy crumb topping that is packed with brown sugar, cinnamon and oats. Consider replacing the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice, which has a more complete flavor.

After tasting this, traditional double-crust pies seem lacking.

Pumpkin pie filling is relatively low in fat, getting just a few grams per serving from the eggs and milk.

Bake the filling in a casserole dish and call it pumpkin pudding. Made with whole milk and whole eggs, it has just 3 grams of fat per serving.

Use egg whites and fat-free milk and you end up with a nearly fat-free dessert.

Pumpkin Pudding

14-ounce can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup whole milk

3 eggs

- Preheat oven to 425. Bring a large teapot of water to a boil.

- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Set aside.

- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs, then add them to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until smooth.

- Arrange 8 ramekins in a shallow baking dish (about 2 inches deep) or lasagna pan. Spoon or ladle the pumpkin mixture into the ramekins. Place the baking pan in the oven.

- With the oven open, carefully pour the hot water into the baking pan until it reaches about halfway up the ramekins. Push the baking pan to the center of the oven and bake 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake another 30 to 35 minutes, or until pumpkin is set.

- Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven and remove the ramekins. Serve warm or cool.

Makes 8 servings.

Easiest Apple Pie

1 prepared frozen pie shell

7 cups thinly sliced apples

1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

11/2 tablespoons cornstarch

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

- In a large bowl, combine the apples, 1/3 cup sugar and lemon juice. Mix well and let stand 10 minutes.

- Meanwhile, in a food processor combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Pulse several times to mix. Scatter the butter over the mix and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

- In a small bowl, combine the nutmeg, cornstarch and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Add this to the apples and mix well.

- Transfer the apples into the pie shell. Using your fingers, rub together the flour and oat mixture until it forms large buttery crumbs. Heap the topping over the apples, packing it down gently with your hands. It will seem as though there is too much, but continue to pack it on, completely covering the apples.

- Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips during cooking. Bake the pie for about 1 hour, or until edges of the crust are lightly browned. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil after 30 minutes of baking.

- Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: Adapted from Ken Haedrich's "Pie," Harvard Common Press, 2004.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Gingersnap Pecan Crust

For crust:

14 2-inch gingersnaps (about 4 ounces)

1 cup pecans (about 4 ounces)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For filling:

1 envelope (about 1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons brandy rum or water

1 cup milk

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

4 large egg yolks

1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup heavy cream

Accompaniment: whipped cream

Garnish: chopped toasted pecans

- Preheat oven to 350.

- Make crust: In a food processor, grind gingersnaps, pecans, and sugar fine and add butter, blending until combined well. Press mixture onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate. Bake crust in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden around edge, and cool on rack.

- Make filling: In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over brandy, rum, or water and let stand.

- In a heavy saucepan whisk together milk, brown sugar, yolks, pumpkin, spices, and salt and cook over moderately low heat, whisking, until mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat and immediately add gelatin mixture, whisking until gelatin is completely dissolved.

- Transfer filling to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring constantly, just until the consistency of raw egg white. Remove bowl from ice water.

- In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream until it holds stiff peaks and whisk about one fourth into filling to lighten. Fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly and pour filling into crust. Chill pie until set, at least 3 hours and up to 24, covered with plastic wrap after 1 hour.

- Top each serving with whipped cream and garnish with nuts.

Serves 8.

Source: Gourmet, 1995.

[Last modified November 17, 2006, 08:46:49]