Pumpkin Pie

First, preheat the oven to 450°F, and set the rack in the bottom third of the oven. In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Using a fork, cut in the shortening until the dough is crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork, until the dough holds together and forms a ball. Divide the dough in half, and reserve. Editor's Tip: The crust always seems like the most intimidating part of the pie, but we’ve got all sorts of secrets for perfect homemade pie crust.

On a floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Place each crust in a plate, and trim to 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the plate. Crimp or flute the pastry edges as desired. Save any trimmed pastry scraps and pop them into the fridge. You'll use these for pie decorations later. Editor's tip: If you want to make sure the pie crust stays even more structurally sound while it bakes, chill the rolled out dough in the pie plate for 10 to 15 minutes so the fat can harden a bit while you make your pumpkin pie filling.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, cloves, nutmeg and ginger, and beat until just combined. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk. Once the filling is smooth, pour the mixture equally into your unbaked pie crusts.

Bake the pies for 10 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350°, and continue baking the pies until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This should take about 40 to 45 minutes. The internal temperature of pumpkin pie should be around 150°. Cool pies on wire racks for one hour, and then refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. Test Kitchen Tip: Another way to tell when your pumpkin pie is done? Use the cheesecake doneness test. Tap the side of the pie pan with a spoon, and see if the pie filling wobbles just slightly. If it jiggles too much, it needs more time!

If desired, use the leftover pie dough to make pumpkin pie decorations, like pumpkins, leaves and vines. Make some or all of them, whatever peaks your pie fancy. You can buy or make extra pie dough for decorations, too. Preheat the oven to 400° to bake all of the extras, and be sure to cool them all on a wire rack before placing on your pie. To make mini pumpkins: Roll a small amount of pie dough into a ball, and score the sides with the blunt side of a knife to create ridges. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with your fingers, and insert a whole clove to make the stem. Refrigerate the pumpkins until firm, then brush with beaten egg, and bake until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. To make twirling vines: Roll out the refrigerated pie dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut narrow strips of dough in various lengths. Lay the strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and twist into coils. Refrigerate the coils until firm, then brush with beaten egg, and bake until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. To make leaves: Roll the pie dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using mini leaf-shaped cookie cutters, cut the dough into pieces about 1-inch in size. You can even use a sharp knife to score leaf veins on cutouts and create visual dimension on your garnish. Refrigerate the leaves until firm, then brush with beaten egg, and bake until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Garnish the baked pie with the leaf cutouts. Top each slice with a healthy dollop of homemade whipped cream.