The sweetness of pumpkin and the fresh spiciness of ginger are a match made in heaven. This mouth-watering pie is an adaptation of a recipe perfected by the great chef James Beard. It could set the standard for Thanksgiving desserts.

We also include three other divine pumpkin pie recipes: A Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Pie, a lower-calorie Canyon Ranch spa version with only 125 calories per slice, and our favorite classic version, Best-Ever Pumpkin Pie. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Dough for 2 pie crusts
2 cups pumpkin puree
6 large eggs
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cognac
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
whipped cream for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Divide dough in 2 pieces and roll out to two 11-inch rounds. Place dough in bottom of two 9-inch pie plates. Line pie shells with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake shells 12 minutes. Remove foil and weights and set pie shells aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375F.

2. For filling: in the work bowl of a food processor, combine pumpkin, eggs, heavy cream, sugar, cognac, spices, and salt and pulse to blend. Spoon or pour half of filling into each pie shell. Dot the surface of the filling of each pie with pieces of crystallized ginger.

3. Bake the pies until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream.

Makes 2 pies.

And here are three more terrific pumpkin pie recipes:

Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Pie

Lower-Calorie Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust from Canyon Ranch Cooks

Best Ever Pumpkin Pie