Maple Pumpkin Brûlée Pie

In the opposite spirit of what Jimmy Connors shouted at the television camera during his improbable run in the 1991 U.S. Open at the age of 39 ("This is what they paid for! This is what they want!"), I'm giving you a recipe for pumpkin pie in February, a time of year when no one is exactly demanding pumpkin pie. (And if you haven't seen ESPN's 30 for 30 on Connors' famous performance, aptly titled, This is What They Want, do yourself a favor and watch it now!)

But you know what? This pumpkin pie was supremely delicious back in November when we made it, and just because my life was too up in the air back then to post it, I'll be damned if I wait any longer before sharing it.

As you may have noticed, for the past few months, I've been really into recipes that highlight maple syrup. But what you may not have noticed is that I've also been into recipes that offer different, surprising textural notes. As we're all well aware, pumpkin pie typically offers just the flaky crust paired with a delightful custard-esque filling. But this one is topped off with the bonus of a crispy, sugary layer. Aren't you intrigued?

Since we don't have a blowtorch, I was a little worried about how I was going to achieve the brûléed top. Mainly, I was concerned that if we used the broiler, we would unintentionally burn the top of the aforementioned flaky crust. As a precaution, and with little evidence that it would actually help, I covered the crust with foil. And what do you know? It worked!

In conclusion, go ahead and make yourself a pumpkin pie in February. Serve it to a friend while gently whispering in their ear: "This is what you paid for. This is what you want."

And now, back to Teddy I go! (By the way, if you want more Teddy in your life, in a total Mom-style move, he's basically taken over my Instagram feed.)

Maple Pumpkin Brûlée Pie slightly adapted from Saveur

Flour, for dusting
1⁄2 recipe Flaky Butter Pie Dough
1⁄4 cup dark brown sugar
1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée
1 cup heavy cream
1⁄4 cup maple syrup
21⁄2 tbsp. corn starch
21⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
11⁄2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp. ground clove
1⁄2 tsp. Kosher salt
1⁄4 cup Demerara sugar

Heat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12′′ round. Fit into a 9′′ pie plate. Trim edges and crimp; chill 30 minutes.

Whisk sugars and eggs in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Add pumpkin, cream, syrup, corn starch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and salt; whisk until smooth. Pour filling over dough; using a spatula, spread into an even layer. Bake until just set in the center, 45–50 minutes. Transfer pie to a rack; let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

Sprinkle Demerara sugar evenly over surface of pie. Guide the flame of a blowtorch back and forth over surface until sugar caramelizes. (Or alternatively, cover pie crust in foil and place under the broiler until sugar caramelizes.) Serve immediately.