Coffee Liqueur Pumpkin Pie(s)

This is an award winning recipe that I created for a contest sponsored by Quail Ridge Press and QVC. This recipe was a finalist and is published in the "Best of the Best from QVC Cookbook" and was featured twice on the air during the "In the Kitchen with Bob Show" in November and December 2002. My recipe in the book is titled Coffee Pumpkin Pies on page 269. Because Coffee Liqueur is dark it is a little more difficult than normal pumpkin pie to tell if it is done. Please give it a try, and I hope that you and yours enjoy it!

Coffee Liqueur Pumpkin Pie(s)

A great spin on a holiday favorite!

Pie shells:

¾ cup shortening

¼ cup boiling water

1 tablespoon milk

2 cups all-purpose flour (sift once before measuring)

1 teaspoon salt

Put shortening in medium-sized mixing bowl. Add boiling water and milk and break up shortening with fork. Tilt bowl, and with a rapid cross-the-bowl strokes, whip until mixture is smooth and thick (like whipped cream) and holds soft peaks when fork is lifted. Sift flour and salt together onto shortening mixture. Stir quickly, with round-the-bowl strokes, into dough that clings together and "cleans" the bowl. Pick up and work into a smooth dough; shape into flat round. The dough is now ready to divide and roll into 2 pastries, either between waxed paper, or on a pastry cloth or board. Bake the pie shells in a 425 degree oven for 7-8 minutes, or until they begin to brown lightly. Be careful not to overwork the dough (roll dough only once if possible) or your pie crust will be tough.

Filling:

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup milk

½ cup coffee liqueur

3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie mix

4 medium eggs

Beat milks, coffee liqueur, and pumpkin pie spice together until blended. Stir in pumpkin pie mix. Beat eggs and add to rest of the mixture. Stir in pumpkin pie mix. Stir or beat on low until smooth. Stir Filling and pour ½ into each pie shell. Add any pastry decorations to top like a leaf or pumpkin, if desired. Reset oven to 350 and continue baking until filling is barely set in center, (about 55-70 minutes). Cool on wire racks, Serve with Coffee Cream Topping.

Coffee Cream Topping:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 tablespoon coffee liqueur

Beat cream with powdered sugar just until stiff; stir in coffee liqueur.

Enjoy!