Ingredients
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. pumpkin (canned)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin mixed with 1/4 c. cold water
Preparation
Separate eggs (whites in one bowl, yolks in another) Beat 3 egg whites with electric mixer until they are stiff - then gradually add 1/2 sugar to the whites, beat until glossy and form soft peaks. Set aside.
Beat egg yolks and 1/2c. sugar together until thick. Add pumpkin, milk, salt, spices. Mix until blended. Put this mixture into the the double boiler, stirring and cook until thick. (Double boiler - bring water to a medium boiler…you don’t want to cook the pumpkin too fast).
Add gelatin softened in cold water to pumpkin mixture, stir until blended and dissolved.
Remove mixture from the double boiler and let cool a bit.
Add beaten egg whites to pumpkin- make sure that the pumpkin mixture has cooled. Tip: I add about a cup of the egg white mixture to the pumpkin and fold into pumpkin mixture with a spatula - fold until blended. Once that is done you can keep adding more egg whites, folding until blended. It’s the egg white mixture which makes the pie a mousse - light texture.
Pour into pie shells and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Pie shells: I would make my own pie shells but you can by pre-made ones if you like. Just cook them as instructed. Pie shells can burn easily so you should watch them carefully. If the edges get brown before they have finished cooking, put a piece of aluminum foil over the shells and continue cooking.
