Mole Pumpkin Pie With Citrus Crema
An earthy, velvety black sauce enriches the filling in this Mexican-inspired holiday dessert.
- Makes
One 9-inch pie
- Time
2 hours, plus cooling
Gabriella Martinez, the pastry chef behind the dessert bar Libre in Portland, Oregon, is known for her inventive flavor combinations, and this pumpkin pie is no exception. “I love taking something traditional and adding my culture to it,” she says. Here, she reflects her Mexican heritage by stirring thick, smoky-sweet mole negro into an otherwise classic spiced pumpkin filling. “The mole adds a layer of umami and a little kick that makes all the flavors blend together beautifully,” Martinez explains. She finishes the pie with lime whipped cream for brightness and chunks of butter crumble for texture. While store-bought components help this pie come together quickly (if using premade crust, Martinez recommends the deep-dish kind), you can also go the fully homemade route with our recipes for mole negro, flaky butter pie dough, and pumpkin purée.
Ingredients
For the pie:
- One 15-oz. can (1¾ cups plus 2 Tbsp.) pumpkin purée (or substitute fresh)
- 2 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. mole negro, preferably Doña María
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ ground ginger
- ½ kosher salt
- ¼ ground cloves
- One 12-oz. can evaporated milk
- One 9-in. homemade or store-bought pie crust, unbaked
For the butter crumble:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
For the citrus crema:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. sugar
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (or substitute lemon or orange juice)
Instructions
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- Make the pie: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 420°F.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the pumpkin, mole, and eggs. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves, then beat into the pumpkin mixture. With the mixer running, gradually pour in the evaporated milk until combined. Carefully pour the filling into the pie crust.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the temperature to 350°F and continue baking until the pie is mostly set (the center may jiggle a tiny bit) and a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 40–50 minutes more. (The pie will continue to set as it cools.) Transfer the pie to a wire rack and set aside to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the butter crumble: Turn the oven temperature to 325°F. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and sugar, then stir in the butter until combined. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 18–22 minutes. Using a spoon, break apart the crumble into bite-size pieces and set aside to cool completely.
- Make the citrus crema: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, whip the cream, sugar, and lime juice on medium speed to stiff peaks, 2–3 minutes.
- Top the pie with the citrus crema and butter crumble and serve.
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