Recipe video above. The perfect Pumpkin Pie that's soft custardy rather than lumpy and curdled. Perfect level of spicing - you can taste it but it doesn't overwhelm the natural pumpkin flavour - sweet but not crazy sweet. And NO CRACKS on the surface!
If using store bought, blind baking is not necessary (but if you want to, follow the Pie Crust recipe).
Pie Filling
Preheat oven to 170°C / 335°F (150°C fan).
Place pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices into a saucepan over medium heat. Once you see steam, cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes (this removes excess moisture and lets spices bloom).
Remove from stove and scrape into a bowl. Add cream, whisk.
Whisk eggs in one by one, mixing just enough to incorporate. If you whisk vigorously for ages, it will aerate the mixture, leading to cracks.
Pour into Pie Crust, transfer to oven.
Bake 45 - 55 minutes or until the centre is set but still has a slight jiggle and the toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean but damp (if it still has pumpkin batter, keep cooking). (Note 2)
Cool completely for 4 hours+ before cutting to serve. Serve with cream and dusting of cinnamon or nutmeg if desired!
Notes
1. Pumpkin
use pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
measure this using cups as the density and therefore weight of pumpkin does differ between canned and fresh homemade. Volume is relevant here, not weight.
Homemade pumpkin puree - use a 1 kg / 2 lb sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (weight with skin and seeds). Peel and remove seeds, cut into 2.5cm/1" pieces then steam until very very tender (I microwave steam 10 minutes). Mash then pass through sieve (use a tablespoon and mix vigorously then rubber spatular to scrape from underside, you'll figure out method that works best for you). Measure out 1 3/4 cups, place in bowl, leave for 10 minutes. If water pools around edges on surface, place paper towel across surface to absorb, then proceed with recipe (ie cooking on stove)
2. Baking time - If you see slight cracks around the edges of the surface, that's a good sign that it's either ready or very near ready. Because this has eggs in it, you will get minor cracks around the edges but once it cools and sinks, these minor cracks kind of self-heal. See photos in post - pure and not photoshopped!3. Cup measures between the US and most of the rest of the world do differ a bit but for this recipe, I found that it's not enough to affect the outcome of the recipe.4. Storage - beyond about 6 hours after cooling, keep in the fridge for up to 3 days (overnight ideal, thereafter crust starts to lose quality).