- ½ cup + 2.5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 6 egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or extract)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 9-inch blind baked pie crust**
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Make sure your blind baked pie crust is cooled and read.
- Whisk together ½ cup sugar and egg yolks in a mixing bowl.
- In a saucepan, whisk together heavy cream, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla bean paste, and salt over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and heat until cream is hot but not scalded. Remove from heat.
- While whisking, carefully add about ¼ cup of your hot cream and pumpkin mixture to the sugar and egg yolk mixture. Keep whisking to avoid the eggs curdling. Repeat this process, adding about a ¼ cup at a time and whisking continuously, until about half the cream and pumpkin mixture is added. Add the remaining half, continuing to whisk.
- Pass mixture through a fine mesh strainer, then pour into prepared baked pie crust. Bake in preheated oven for about 25-35 minutes, until mixture appears set but still a little wobbly in the middle (if needed, you can cover crust edges with a pie shield or foil if browning too quickly).
- Remove from oven. Let cool on the counter for about 30-60 minutes until no longer hot, then transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for 3-4 hours, or ideally, overnight.
- After chilling, remove from the refrigerator. When nearly ready to serve, sprinkle remaining 2.5 tablespoons of granulated sugar over the top of the pie. Using a kitchen blow torch, melt and then caramelize sugar until golden brown, being careful not to burn. Allow sugar to cool and harden (this should only take a few minutes). Crack top, then cut and serve.