BUTTERNUT, MAPLE & PECAN LATTICE PIE

Butternut, maple & pecan lattice pie image

Spiced and glowing gold, this pie is pure autumn on a plate. Use butternut squash or your Halloween pumpkin

Provided by Jane Hornby

Categories Afternoon tea, Dessert, Treat

Time 1h30m

Yield Cuts into 10 slices

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

700g chunk butternut squash or pumpkin
1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
175g light muscovado sugar
250g tub mascarpone
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
1 heaped tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
3 tbsp maple syrup , plus more to serve
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 x 375g packs chilled dessert pastry
plain flour , for rolling
milk , for brushing
handful pecan halves, very roughly chopped
icing sugar and whipped cream, to serve

Steps:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the squash into several large pieces, remove any seeds, then toss with the oil in a roasting tin. Roast for about 35 mins or until golden and soft.
When cold, peel the skin away, then put the flesh into a processor with the sugar, mascarpone and spices. Whizz until smooth, then add the eggs, maple syrup, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt. Whizz again.
Cut one-third of the pastry from one block and squash it into the other block. Shape the larger block into a smooth round then, on a floured surface, roll out to line a 23cm fluted tart tin. Line the tin, leaving some overhang, then lift onto a baking sheet. Pour in the filling, then carefully slide the pie into the oven and bake for 20 mins.
Meanwhile, roll the remaining pastry to a rectangle about 16 x 30cm, then cut into 8 long strips about 2cm wide. Weave the strips under and over each other on a floured, rimless baking sheet to make a lattice large enough to cover the top of the pie. Put in the fridge to chill.
After 20 mins, the filling will be starting to set. Take pie out of the oven, brush pastry rim with milk, then slide the chilled lattice off its sheet and onto the pie. Press the edges down a little to seal, then scatter over the pecans and return to the oven.
Bake for 15-20 mins more or until the lattice is golden and the filling has risen with just a faint wobble in the middle. Cool completely, then trim the edges and dust with icing sugar. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve with whipped cream.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 628 calories, Fat 39 grams fat, SaturatedFat 16 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 66 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 33 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 7 grams protein, Sodium 0.51 milligram of sodium