Even warriors stop for pie

Because even warriors get to take breaks while on their great quests, I'm actually taking a short holiday from work.
And doing some writing - in between renovating our house. 
And, because it's December, and heating up your house by baking pies in the middle of summer is the done thing, I'm also making pies. My son is helping me contribute to global warming. We now have 7 pies in the fridge. There were 8, but one seems to have mysteriously vanished, along with a tub of icecream.

Now I'm sharing the love, so you too can make your airconditioner die of overwork as it tries to cool down a house being heated by both sun and oven.  (Clearly I'm talking to fellow southern hemisphere dwellers, here).

Anyway... my grandmother's sweet pumpkin pie recipe. 

Makes 2 deep pies

Shortcrust base
16 tablespoons unsalted butter  (colloquially known as a f*cktonne of butter)
4 tablespoons castor sugar
4 tablespoons vanilla
(mix these three together with a fork until smooth)
4 cups of self-raising flour
(mix this through the butter mixture. resulting pastry should stick to itself, but not stick to your fingers too much. If it does, add some more flour)
Press this mix into two pie tins
Put back into the fridge to chill

Filling
Cut up lots of pumpkin and cook (I use the microwave) until soft. Allow to cool
Zazz with a hand-held stick blender or similar until pureed
Next..
Into a bowl...
8 eggs, lightly beaten
6 cups of pumpkin puree
2 cups brown sugar (less if you're trying to reduce sugar)
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
6 cups Carnation evaporated milk (this comes in tins in the longlife milk aisle)

Mix above ingredients in order then use the hand-blender to give one final mix.

Preheat oven to 220deg
Pour mix into the two pie bases
Sprinkle nutmeg on top
Bake for 15min on 220deg
Reduce to 190deg for another 45min or so.

Eat either warm or cooled with cream/icecream

​#warriorwomanwords #writerfighters #writerslife

---