John's pumpkin pie

Nothing is more iconic at Thanksgiving than pumpkin pie.  Not even the turkey.  Turkeys are available all year round, but you have to wait until the fall for pumpkins to become available. 

I love pumpkin pie.  Ever since I was old enough to care about baking, my Mom would let me make the crust from the iconic Betty Crocker cookbook for the pie and my sister would make the filling.

But alas...my fiance is not much for pumpkin pie.  He doesn't like the spices.  Pumpkin, mixed with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger- it all means good and delicious things to me- but John, John does not care for them.  He loves the texture, just not the spice. 

So what am I to do on Thanksgiving for John?  Pumpkin pie is so iconic- dare I mess with it? 

As a Sugar Lovin girl, I must.  So here it is.  John's pumpkin pie without the crazy spices.

John's Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
1 9" baked pie shell (any recipe, but I like this one)
1 tablespoon gelatin powder (such as Knox)
3 whole eggs, separated
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup cooked, or canned pumpkin (or prepare fresh, see below)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
∏ tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 cup whipping cream for garnish (optional)

Method:

 
Soak the gelatin 1/4 cup cold water. Beat the egg yolks slightly and combine in the top of a double boiler, the brown sugar, pumpkin, milk and the salt and spices. Cook and stir these ingredients over boiling water until thick. Stir in the soaked gelatin until dissolved. Remove from the cook top and chill until mixture begins to set.

Whip until stiff, but not dry the 3 egg whites. Gradually stir in the: 1/2 cup white sugar, then fold into the pumpkin mixture. Fill the pie shell. Chill several hours to set.

Serve garnished with: Whipped cream