Marshmallow Pumpkin Pie

This recipe feels like a mash-up of all things American and Canadian with maple syrup, pumpkins and marshmallows. If I'm being honest, I have never tried a traditional pumpkin pie but I wanted to create my take to celebrate a seasonal vegetable that is very much underrated as a food source in Scotland and usually sits, carved and going mushy, on our doorsteps to welcome guisers. Lots of people this year seem to be buying pumpkins and having them just as they are as decoration - if they havent been treated with anything for longevity, this recipe would be the perfect way to use them up after halloween. I would have loved to have made my own marshmallows to top this pie but me and molten sugar don't seem to mix well and previous attempts have been rather disastrous!

Ingredients:
225g plain flour
100g dairy free butter
4-6 tbsp cold water
1 tsp nutmeg

1 large pumpkin
1 ripe banana
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp dark brown sugar

marshmallows to top

Method:

In a large bowl, mix together the flour and 1 tsp of nutmeg then rub in the butter until the mix resembles bread crumbs. Slowly add in the water until the dough comes together and holds. Place in some clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

While your dough is chilling, pop your pumpkin (if you can fit it) into the microwave in small bursts until soft to the touch. Don't microwave it for too long like I did or you'll be cleaning exploding pumpkins off everything! Once the pumpkin is soft, cut in half and remove the seeds then scoop the flesh into a blender. Add the banana and whizz up in the blender, adding the other ingredients slowly as each pumpkins flavour will differ and you may need slightly more or less of each. Once you are satisfied with the flavour of your pumpkin puree, place to one side and turn your attention back to the dough.

Preheat your oven to 160c fan. Remove the dough from the fridge and place the unwrapped dough onto a floured surface and roll out to just larger than your tart case. Carefully lift the dough into the case and press down into the edges. Remove the excess dough and use to patch any cracks. Place some greaseproof paper on top of the dough and fill the case with baking beans or rice and blind bake for 10 minutes.

Once the dough has blind baked, remove the greaseproof and weight and fill with the pumpkin puree, smoothing it right out to the edges. Top with marshmallows (I cut mine in half) and bake for a further 10 minutes until the marshmallows are golden brown and gooey.

We enjoyed this with vanilla ice cream but I imagine it would be equally nice with whipped coconut cream.

When you make this, take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

Enjoy!