Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pie

This big, bright orange and utterly old fashioned-tasting pie is part of a "Creole Thankgiving" menu I found in a November 1987 Bon Appetit. You may prefer to use your own pastry crust; the pastry leaf decorations atop the pie adds a nice, festive touch. Prep time does not include chilling time for dough.

• Ready In: 1 hr 56 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Crust and Pastry Leaves

• 2 1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 10  tablespoons  chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces (1 1/4 sticks)
• 5  tablespoons  well-chilled vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
• 6  tablespoons  ice water (about)

• Filling

• 1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 3⁄4 cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3  large eggs
• 1 1⁄4 cups  Southern Comfort
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

• Glaze

• 1  egg yolk, beaten with
• 2  teaspoons  whipping cream

Directions

1. For Crust.
2. Mix flour and salt in processor; cut in butter and shortening using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. With machine running, blend in water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough just starts to come together (do not form ball).
4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and gather together; cut off 1/4 of dough.
5. Form each piece into a ball; flatten into discs.
6. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
7. Can be prepared 2 days ahead.
8. Roll large dough piece out on lightly floured surface into 1/8-inch thickness.
9. Transfer dough to 10-inch glass pie pan, leaving 1/2 inch overhang.
10. Crimp edges, forming 1/2-inch-high decorative border.
11. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
12. Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
13. For Pastry Leaves.
14. Roll out small dough piece between 1/16 and 1/8-inch thick on lightly floured surface.
15. Cut out leaves using leaf-shaped cookie cutter or small sharp knife.
16. Transfer leaves to baking sheet using metal spatula; refrigerate 30 minutes.
17. Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
18. For filling.
19. Mix first three ingredients in large bowl.
20. Blend in eggs, 1 at a time.
21. Stir in half and half, Southern Comfort, vanilla,nutmeg and salt.
22. Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
23. Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
24. Pour filling into prepared shell and bake 20 minutes.
25. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until filling is set and uniformly puffed, about 50 minutes; transfer to rack.
26. Brush glaze over leaves and bake until puffed and tops are golden brown, about 6 minutes.
27. Transfer leaves to rack.
28. Cool pie and leaves completely (pie will fall in center as it cools ).
29. Can be prepared 8 hours ahead.
30. Arrange pastry leaves atop pie before serving.
31. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired or a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream with a little Southern Comfort drizzled over.