I love the joy and festive spirit the holidays bring, but a wave of anxiety came over me when Black Friday ads began to circulate. My Halloween decorations were still up and the idea of prepping for Thanksgiving had slipped my mind. Once I’ve come to terms that Thanksgiving is in a few short days (how did that happen?!) I’ve been in full blown holiday mode.

The spider webs, bats, and jack-o-lanterns have been packed away and replaced with hand painted pumpkins and chai spice candles. Thanksgiving prep is in full swing and I began recipe testing, much to Ian’s delight. First on my list, was dessert. As I’ve mention before, pumpkin pie is not my dessert of choice. However, topped with delicate meringues this pumpkin pie is sure to convert a non-pumpkin lover like myself. More importantly, it’s a true showstopper. This pie is guaranteed to get a few oh’s and ah’s from your dinner party guests. Can you really ask more from a dessert?! I don’t think so!

Pumpkin Pie with Meringues

Ingredients:

For the pie:

• 1/2 C. honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 2 eggs
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
• Pre-made pie dough

For the meringues:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 C. sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartare

Directions:

For the pie:

• Preheat oven to 400˚
• Transfer the pie dough into a pie tin and crimp the edges. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the pie ingredients and stir until well combined.
• Pour the pie mixture into the pie crust and bake for 15-18 minutes.
• Turn off the oven, open the oven door, and let the pie cool inside the oven. This will help prevent cracks from forming.
• Take the pie out of the oven once it has cooled and chill in your fridge until you are ready to serve.

For the meringues:

• Preheat oven to 200˚
• In a stand mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Slowly add in the cream of tartare and sugar one TBS at a time.
• Once all of the sugar has been added, gently fold in the vanilla extract.
• Spoon mixture into a pipping bag and form meringues in a variety of sizes on a silicone mat placed on a baking tray.
• Bake for 60 minutes.
• Once the meringues have cooled, arranged them on your pie before serving.