Meringue Topped Sweet Squash Pie
Ingredients
• 2 cups cooked sweet squash like Amber Cup, Red Kuri, or Golden Nugget
• Single Pie Crust, plus flour for rolling out dough
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
For The Meringue
• 3 large egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Equipment
• 9″ pie plate
• rolling pin
• pie crust shield or tin foil
• cooling rack
• culinary torch or oven
• food processor
• hand mixer
• spatula
• large mixing bowls
• cookie sheet
This delicious recipe is guaranteed to be a hit at your next holiday gathering. A creamy, silken layer of rich, sweet squash filling is delicately spiced and fills a buttery flaky crust. The pie is well complimented by a pillowy topping of sweetened torched meringue that looks stunning with its beautifully browned peaks and swirls.
Step one:
To cook the squash- cut the squash in half, remove seeds, and place on cookie sheet. Bake for an hour at 350˚ F until soft. Make, and refrigerate your dough while the squash cools. Preheat oven to 375˚.
Step Two
Measure squash and place into a food processor with eggs, milk, cream, sugars, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla and pulse until smooth and creamy. Using a 9″ pie plate, roll out and prepare your crust, then fill with the squash mixture. Protect the edges with a pie crust protector or foil strips. Bake for 50-55 minutes until the filing seems set, but jiggles just slightly and is at least 175˚ when a thermometer is inserted in the center. Place on cooling rack until completely cool, about 2 1/2 hours.
Step Three
In a large bowl, mix egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar with a hand mixer on low speed until foamy. Increase speed to high and add the sugar slowly. Beat on high speed about 4-5 minutes until stiff glossy peaks form.
Step Four
Spoon mixture on top of cooled pie and spread to desired texture. Spiky peaks make a dramatic effect, but swirls look equally beautiful and enticing. Using a culinary torch on medium flame, gently brown the meringue evenly across the top, or broil for about 45 seconds with the oven’s heat source at least 7 inches away from the top of the pie, keeping a close eye on it.
Step Five
Eat, or refrigerate immediately. The completed pie can be refrigerated up to two days.
Notes & Tips
** To shorten your prep time, the squash can be baked the night before, and pie crust chilling in the refrigerator overnight.
** Please note that the eggs whites in the meringue are not fully cooked.
** The meringue will firm up in the refrigerator after being torched, and creates almost a thick whipped cream texture that sets nicely for serving.