A Cup of Tea and Cake’s Maple Pumpkin Pie

For the crust

• 150 g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
• 550 g ginger-nut biscuits, crushed
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp pure Canadian maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)

For the filling

• 900 g butternut pumpkin flesh, chopped
• 125 ml pure Canadian maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)
• 125 ml coconut milk
• 2 eggs, plus 1 extra egg yolk
• ½ tbsp freshly grated nutmeg 
• ½ tbsp ground ginger
• ½ tbsp ground cinnamon

For the topping

• 1 tbsp pure Canadian maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)
• 300 ml double cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence 
• 1 tbsp maple sugar

1. Place the chopped pumpkin in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high (600-700W) for 15-20 minutes until soft and tender. Transfer to a colander to drain excess liquid and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C. To make the crust, put the ginger-nut biscuits in a large sealed sandwich bag and crush with a rolling pin until they resemble breadcrumbs. Place the crumbs in a bowl with the cinnamon, maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix well.
3. Press the crumbs into the base and sides of a 24cm pie tin. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. To make the filling, whizz the softened pumpkin, maple syrup, coconut milk, eggs, egg yolk and spices in a food processor until smooth.
5. Pour the filling into the prepared pie tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until set with a slight wobble in the centre. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool completely.
6. Pour the cream into a bowl and add the maple syrup, maple sugar and vanilla essence. Whisk until soft peaks form.
7. Once the pie has cooled completely, spread the cream over the top. Slice and serve with a little extra grated nutmeg if desired.