Pumpkin Praline Pie

A cream cheese layer forms the base of this pumpkin pie. The walnut and toffee mixture adds a sweet and elegant topping.

Pumpkin Praline Pie
Photo: Dasha Wright
Prep Time:
40 mins
Chill Time:
30 mins
Bake Time:
50 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Servings:
10

Ingredients

  • 12 ounce cream cheese (four 3-ounce packages or 1-1/2 8-ounce packages), softened

  • cup sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel

  • Pastry for a Single-Crust Deep-Dish Pie

  • 1 15 ounce can pumpkin

  • ¾ cup sugar

  • 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

  • 3 eggs

  • ¾ cup half-and-half or light cream

  • ¾ cup broken walnuts

  • ½ cup milk chocolate-covered toffee pieces or chopped chocolate-covered English toffee bars

  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar

  • Hot fudge ice cream topping (optional)

  • Whipped cream (optional)

  • Pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Pastry for a Single-Crust Deep-Dish Pie

  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 6 tablespoon shortening

  • 5 tablespoon cold water

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and the 1/3 cup sugar; beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until smooth. Beat in the 1 egg; stir in orange peel. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare Pastry for a Single-Crust Deep-Dish Pie. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten pastry. Roll dough from center to edge into a circle about 13 inches in diameter. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9 1/2- to 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge high (photo). Do not prick pastry.

For Pumpkin Filling:

  1. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, the 3/4 cup sugar, and the 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Add the 3 eggs and beat lightly. Gradually beat in half-and-half. Spread cream cheese mixture in pastry-lined pie plate. Carefully spoon pumpkin filling over cream cheese layer. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake for 25 minutes.

  2. In a small bowl, combine walnuts, toffee pieces, and brown sugar. Remove foil from pie. Sprinkle with walnut mixture.

  3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill pie within 2 hours. If desired, garnish individual servings with hot fudge topping, whipped cream, and additional pumpkin pie spice.

Pastry for a Single-Crust Deep-Dish Pie

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening dough, using 1 tablespoon cold water at a time, until all of the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball.

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