(Update: I have made a couple of modifications since starting this post and really apologize it was not done before Thanksgiving. It is just that good, however; I think you should make it whenever the mood for pumpkin sweetness hits you. Like today).

My favorite-most pie in the whole wide world is a praline pumpkin pie that my mom started making many, many years. It is the best one in the world. The thing that makes it so special is the scalding of some milk and water before mixing the ingredients together. No other pumpkin pie holds a candle to this one. I scoured the internet and blogs in search of recipes. None of them seemed like they would  really work for me.

I did find two low-carb crust recipes: one uses almond flour as a crust and the other was just using finely chopped pecans, brown sugar and butter. Well, I am not using sugar but … you know what I mean. So, I decided to use a praline crust: partly because I can’t make crusts and partly because I wasn’t sure how the almond crust would merge with the praline layer.

First, gather up the ingredients:

Notice the mortar and pestle. I am a salt snob. I only use Celtic Sea Salt. It is large, crystal-like rocks. Before my m&p, I would have to grind out what I needed. Not any more! Also, just to brag a little. Notice the KA in the background. That monster is over 30 years old. It was the smallest commercial mixer available when my dad bought it. If I remember correctly, it is a KA5. Or something like that. It is a powerhouse and I am in love with it.

Here is what I used for the pie crust:

Praline Pie Crust

• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 4 TBL melted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar substitute (I used … Ideal)
• a titch of blackstrap molasses

Melt the butter, add the pecans, sweeteners and mix together well. Press into the bottom of a pie plate and bake at 450 for 8 – 10 minutes. It will burn rapidly so watch carefully. Remove from oven and let cool. Turn oven down to 350.

This is what a twitch looks like. This is a dinner teaspoon.

Ready for the oven:

Baked to perfection!!

Now for the custard. This is just so good. When we make it for a non-low carb pie, we get enough custard leftover that we just put it in a dish and bake it. No need for a crust. Yes, it is that good.

Pumpkin Custard

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (this is NOT pie filling)
• a scant 1 cup of sweetener (I used Ideal)
• a titch of mollasses
• 1 1/2 tea pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tea salt

Already for the liquids!

Scalding of the milk really doesn’t take that long. Is it necessary? I have no idea but I love the pie and am not willing to chance it. Why mess with perfection, unless it is to make it low carb??

All set for the oven!

Cool on wire rack. Tell everyone to back away from the pie!

The first one, I used a full cup of Ideal and it was a bit too sweet for me. No one else thought so but no one else complained about the other two I made with less.

Oh so good!