Pumpkin Pie

A lean, molasses-sweetened custard pie in the New England manner, thinner and darker than the condensed-milk version most people know. The original assumes you know how to manage a custard in pastry, so the two things it leaves out are heat and time.

• Oven heatNo temperature is given. Standard practice for a custard pie is a hot start to set the crust, around 425F for the first 15 minutes, then reduced to 350F for a further 30 to 40 minutes. "Until firm" means the edge is set and the centre still wobbles slightly; it finishes setting as it cools.
• Stewed and browned pumpkinThis most likely means pumpkin cooked down in a dry pan until the excess water has driven off and the pulp has begun to caramelise and darken. Canned pumpkin puree works, but it should be cooked in a wide pan over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring, before it is measured.
• Porto Rico molassesA cane molasses lighter and cleaner in flavour than blackstrap, and darker than golden syrup. Ordinary unsulphured dark molasses is the nearest substitute. Blackstrap will overwhelm the mace and cinnamon.
• Scalded creamHeat the cream just until it steams and small bubbles form at the edge, then let it cool before it meets the eggs. Combined with the cold milk it will not curdle the beaten eggs, but add it in a thin stream and whisk as you go.
• MaceMace is the outer covering of the nutmeg seed and tastes like a lighter, more floral nutmeg. Grated nutmeg at the same quantity is the nearest substitute if mace is not to hand.
• Pastry shellThe recipe fills the shell as it is. If you prefer, the shell can be partly blind-baked before filling so the wet custard does not soak the base; about ten minutes in a hot oven with weights, then cooled slightly, is enough.
• YieldRoughly 4 cups of filling, enough to fill one 9-inch pie; eight modest slices.
• The whipped creamAdd it only once the pie is fully cool. On a warm custard it slumps and weeps.