Spiced Pumpkin Mousse Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Back on the Fourth of July, after I posted a recipe for strawberry mousse pie. In that post I promised you this, ” I also tried it with pumpkin and added some spices but I’ll save that one for you until October.” October came and went. I apologize. I know you have all been waiting by the computer counting down the days. I may have missed Halloween but I am in time for Thanksgiving.

Barely Adapted from: http://www.marthastewart.com/352652/raspberry-mousse-pie

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 7 graham crackers, plus 2 or 3 for crumbling garnish
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons powdered gelatin (from one 1/4-ounce packet)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups cold heavy cream

Directions

1.  Coat a 9-inch square metal baking pan ( alternately an 18 inch for a double batch which is pictured below) with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
2. Arrange graham crackers in 1 layer in pan, breaking them to fit if necessary.

3. Place water in a small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin on top. Let  gelatin to soften for 3 minutes.

4. In a saucepan, simmer pumpkin puree, spice mixture and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat until bubbles form at edge. Add gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin dissolves, about 1 minute.  Let cool to room temperature completely otherwise it with melt the whip cream.

5. Beat cream and 2 tablespoons sugar until firm stiff peaks form.

6. With a rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream into cooled pumpkin mixture.

Do you know how to fold?  Folding is the process of gently incorporating something light and airy, like whipped egg whites or cream, into something heavier without deflating it. Start by placing about a 1/3 of the lighter product on top of the heavier product.

Mix that in to lighten it before folding the rest in.

Then place the rest of the lighter product on top. With a rubber spatula, cut down the center of the bowl and come around the side, turning the bowl one half turn.

Bring the heavier product from the bottom and side on top of the lighter product in the middle as you come around with the spatula. Place it on top.

Repeat the process by cutting down the center, coming around the side and down the center again, while turning the bowl  until only a few streaks of the lighter product can be seen.

  The finished mixture should be fairly homogenous.

7. Pour over graham crackers. Smooth top, cover and  refrigerate until set, about 2 hours (or up to overnight).

8. Using parchment, gently lift pie out of pan and cut into pieces with a sharp knife, cleaning it in between cuts. Top each piece with crumbled graham crackers, transfer to a serving platter.