CRUNCHY PRALINE PASTRY
1/3 c Butter or margarine 1 (9-in.) pastry shell *
1/3 c Brown sugar, packed * lightly baked
1/2 c Chopped pecans
FILLING
1 Envelope unflavored gelatin 1/2 ts Salt
1/4 c Cold water 1 1/2 ts Pumpkin pie spice
3 Eggs; separated 1 tb Chopped candied ginger
Sugar 1 c Whipping cream
1 1/4 c Cooked or canned pumpkin Lace Cookies (optional)
1/2 c Sour cream
Combine butter and brown sugar in saucepan. Cook, stirring, until
sugar melts and mixture bubbles vigorously. Remove from heat, stir in
pecans and spread over bottom of pastry shell. Bake at 425F 5 minutes
or until bubbly. Remove from oven and cool thoroughly.
Soften gelatin in cold water. Beat egg yolks well with 1/3 cup sugar.
Add pumpkin, sour cream, salt, pumpkin pie spice and ginger to egg
yolk mixture. Cook, stirring, over medium heat just until mixture
comes to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir
in gelatin until dissolved. Cool. Beat egg whites until frothy.
Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks
form. Fold whites into pumpkin mixture. Spoon half of filling into
Crunchy Praline Pastry. Chill until almost set. Whip cream and spread
half over pumpkin filling in pie shell. Top with remaining pumpkin
mixture. Chill until almost set and garnish with remaining whipped
cream and Lace Cookies, rolled into cornucopias, if desired.
Yields
8 servings