Julia Child's name is often synonymous with culinary excellence, and it's no surprise that she has a few go-to pumpkin pie tricks that will take your autumn dessert to the next level. The chef's Fluffy Pumpkin Pie recipe wasn't actually her own -- it belonged to her Aunt Helen, and it was first printed in a 1982 Parade magazine (Child was the publication's food editor at the time). She then released the recipe in "The Way to Cook," published in 1989. Her tried-and-true method for creating a fluffy pumpkin pie takes a bit of extra work, but it's worth it.
Child swore by separating the egg yolks and whites during the mixing process, and the secret for whipping fluffier egg whites couldn't be easier. She split the egg whites from the yolks while they were still cold, whipped the whites separately, and then carefully folded them back into the pie filling before adding them to her crust-lined pan. After the whites were whipped, Child mixed a quarter of the egg white and salt mixture into the other wet ingredients, followed by folding in the remaining egg whites.
This technique offers a lighter bite compared to the denser texture of a standard pumpkin pie recipe, which may not separate the egg yolks and whites. When baking Child's signature Thanksgiving dish, think about topping the pumpkin pie with a fluffy meringue if you have extra egg whites on hand. The result is a super-fluffy, airy pumpkin pie.
Read more: 14 Of Julia Child's Favorite Restaurants
Super-fluffed egg whites weren't Julia Child's only secret when it came to creating a show-stopping pumpkin pie. She preheated the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit -- this high heat causes the pie filling to fluff up quickly, while also giving the crust a chance to brown (her recipe doesn't recommend pre-baking). After the crust starts to take on a golden hue, Child would then turn the heat down to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to finish it off.
Child made her own pumpkin spice seasoning mix -- a combination of cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon. You can certainly make a delicious pumpkin pie with a pre-mixed seasoning blend, but consider substituting store-bought pumpkin spice by creating your own. If you're working with whole cloves, be sure to crush each sweet-and-spicy spike with a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin before adding them to your pie. While some pumpkin pie recipes call for brown sugar to add a molasses-like flavor, Child's recipe called for light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and molasses. This creates a super-rich caramel taste that complements both the pumpkin puree and her signature spice mix perfectly.
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