Montgomery Pie
Courtesy of Rebecca Albright/Linda Roth Associates

As that chill in the air grows, there’s one thing I’m always up for baking: pie. It’s comforting, rarely complicated and the smell of spiced fillings permeates my apartment with a delightfully sweet scent.

And what better recipe to have as we near the holidays than a recipe for a gingerbread pie. Pastry chef Rebecca Albright of Ted’s Bulletin shares her recipe for Montgomery Pie. Check out the recipe after the jump.

Rebecca Albright’s Montgomery Pie (aka Gingerbread Pie)
Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients for the crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 orange, zested
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
1 tbsp. molasses
3 tbsp. cold water

Instructions for the crust:
1. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Use fingers to work in butter until a mealy dough forms.
2. Add molasses and cold water and kneed slightly until dough comes together. Form into a round disk and chill.
3. Roll out dough to about 1/4″ thick and cut an 11″ round. Chill on a baking sheet pan for 1 hour.
4. Take out the dough round and push down against a pie tin. Fold under edges to slightly create a lip. Crimp the edges using a fork or by pinching thumb and index finger working all the way around the pie.
5. Fork the bottom of the pie so that the crust does not puff up during baking.
6. Freeze until use.

Ingredients for pie filling:
1/3 unsulphured molasses
1/3 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

Instructions for pie filling:
1. Mix molasses, boiling water and baking soda and pour into crust.
2. In a small bowl, rub flour, sugar and butter between fingertips until a paste forms. Sprinkle over the molasses layer.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until edges start to turn dark and a skin forms on top of the pie.
4. Chill several hours before serving.
5. Optional: While pie is baing, roll out dough scraps and use cookie cutters to cut decorative shapes. Fork dough to prevent puffing. Brush cutouts with 1 tbsp. heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes on a baking sheet.

Ingredients for maple whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions for whipped cream:
1. Whip heavy cream on medium high until it starts to thicken and drizzle in maple syrup. Whip until heavy peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream, dusted ground cinnamon and decorative shapes.