pumpkin mousse pie

well hello everyone :) now, instead of getting into a reason for making this delicious pie, i'm just going to get down and dirty with the recipe and the yumminess... since it's pumpkin season, why not try a little twist on amazing classic pumpkin pie... you see, i love pumpkin pie, but i wanted to try and make it softer, lighter... and so i started with a pumpkin mousee, and i took it from there... soon, everything kind of fell into place, and the result... well... it was AMAZING... it was a delicious collaboration of tastes, textures, and sweetness...

take pumpkin pie, but soften it up mousse style... dress it up with a slightly sweetened and semi spicy cinnamon whipped cream, lay it over a hidden layer of mapley caramel, and topped with the buttery crunch of pecan brittle... ummm... are you on board yet... you better be...

so... if you're looking for a new treat this holiday season... try this one out... it was simply amazing... i hope you like it...

flaky buttery pie crust (this recipe makes enough for 2 pie crusts):
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces, frozen
6 tbsp (or more) ice water
directions:
1. blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor
2. add butter and shortening; cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal
3. add 6 tablespoons ice water and blend just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry
4. gather dough into ball, divide dough in half and flatten each half into disk.
5. wrap in plastic and chill at least 3 hours.
6. butter 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish
7. roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured work surface to 12- to 13-inch round and transfer dough to prepared pie dish and press dough onto bottom and up sides of dish, allowing overhang to extend over sides about 1 inch

pumpkin mousse recipe:
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup canned pumpkin
directions:
1. in a chilled mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream, sugar and pumpkin pie spice on medium until soft peaks form
2. when peaks form, fold in pumpkin until mixed evenly
3. cover tightly and chill up to 4 hours

lightly sweetened cinnamon whipped cream:
2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp. sugar
*ground cinnamon
directions:
1. in a well chilled mixing bowl, along with chilled whipping attachment, beat the heavy cream, sugar and cinnamon until medium peaks form
2. cover tightly and chill until needed
*i used about 2 tbsps. cinnamon, but you can use more or less depending on your taste :)

maple cinnamon caramel sauce:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/3 cup half and half, or light cream
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
directions:
1. in a small heavy bottomed saucepan, stir together all the ingredients
2. cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly
3. cook for 2 minutes more, then stir in vanilla extract

pecan brittle:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 cup pecans
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon baking soda
directions:
1. grease a large cookie sheet, set aside
2. in a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water
3. stir until sugar is dissolved, stir in pecans, set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking... stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads
4. remove from heat; immediately stir in butter and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet... with 2 forks, lift and pull peanut mixture into rectangle about 14x12 inches, cool, then snap candy into pieces

happy baking everyone!!