Pumpkin Mousse Pie - Not Your Ordinary Pumpkin Pie Recipe

With autumn come thoughts of the holidays. Holidays conjure images of tasty treats, both traditional and special seasonal creations. Try this Pumpkin Mousse pie once and it will become a staple.

Preparing the Gingersnap Crumb Crust

You will need:
1 1/3 cups gingersnap crumbs (about 25 gingersnap cookies)
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, slightly cooled
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
9-inch pie plate

Making the Crust

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. The cookies must be finely ground for this crust. This can be done with a food processor or any other method you choose. You need to have approximately 1 1/3 cups of crumbs. Next, combine the gingersnap crumbs, melted butter, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir until the crumbs are moistened. Press your crust mixture evenly into your pie plate. Press evenly and pack tightly as you cover the bottom and sides of the dish. Use your fingertips to work the crust over the bottom and sides. Now, bake the crust for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it is crisp. Let the crust cool completely before filling. If you'd like to prepare your crust early to reduce the kitchen stress, feel free to make the crust and wrap it in plastic. It can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Preparing the Pumpkin Mousse Filling

You will need:
1 prepared gingersnap crust
1 tablespoon of cold water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of heavy cream (keep chilled)
An instant-read thermometer

Making the Filling

Put your water in a small stainless-steel bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water, letting it stand to dissolve.

In a slightly larger stainless-steel bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Add about 2 inches of water to a medium-sized saucepan and bring just to a simmer. Place the bowl with yolk and sugar on top of the simmering water. Take care that your bowl's bottom is NOT touching the simmering water. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until it reaches 160 degrees on the instant-read thermometer.

Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in your gelatin mixture. With an electric mixer, beat about 5 minutes, or until cool and thick. Next beat in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and vanilla.

Place the chilled heavy cream into yet another mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to whip the cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into your pumpkin mixture.

Your pie filling is now ready to be placed in the previously prepared crust. Be sure to scrape the entire filling into the crust. A spatula may help with this. You will now need to cover your pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The pie should be refrigerated for at least 6 hours and can set for up to 1 day. Be sure that the filling has set completely before serving your pie.

Serving the Pie

Once the filling has completely set, it is ready to serve. Top each slice with a generous dollop of whipped cream, Cool Whip, or canned Redi-Whip. Be prepared to withdraw your hand quickly after serving, as people tend to dive in quickly when presented with such a fine looking pie. One taste of your scrumptious creation and your diners will be begging for seconds!