My Pareve Chocolate-chip Pumpkin Pie Recipe for Thanksgiving

My dear father, z"l, was a Holocaust survivor, and regularly reminded us of how fortunate we were to be born in this country. Like other families with immigrant parents, our family made a big deal of Thanksgiving.  We got together with family and friends, did the giant turkey meal, and were always grateful to God for all that He had given us, for the freedoms we enjoyed, and for the obvious ways God had blessed this country.

Luckily, I married a man who was as into Thanksgiving as I was.  :)  And for Joshua, the traditional foods were an integral part of the holiday. For example, the cranberry sauce had to be the canned kind, and had to be served keeping the shape of the can, including the ridges. If the cranberry sauce didn't jiggle, it wasn't Thanksgiving.

I've been making this pumpkin pie for about ten years or so. It's not only for Thanksgiving; I regularly serve it on Shabbat in the winter, sometimes with a scoop of pareve ice cream.  The recipe gradually evolved over the years.  I started out with the recipe on the back of the Libby's can, just substituting pareve ingredients.  I discovered that separating the eggs made for a much fluffier pie, and that chocolate chips were a surprisingly delicious complement to the pumpkin flavor. I add an extra can of pumpkin, because I like my pies to be very pumpkiny.  I am a lazy cook, so I use shortcuts, like a store-bought pie shell (you are welcome to make your own....I'm sure it will taste much better) and canned  Libby's pumpkin.  This recipe, like everything that I bake, is really, really easy. If you make the pie, please send me your feedback and pictures, pictures, pictures.

Ingredients:

• 1 deep dish pie shell (I use Walmart brand; it's pareve and tastes good)
• 1 1/2 can Libby's pumpkin
• 3 eggs, separated, room temperature
• 1 carton Rich's Whip, or any pareve quality whip, mostly defrosted
• 1 t. ground cloves
• 1/2 t. allspice
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. ginger
• 1/4 c. sugar (brown or white, doesn't matter)
• 1/2 t. real vanilla extract (don't use artificial.  If you don't have real vanilla, skip this ingredient)
• 2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  When the oven has been heated, turn it off and place the pie shell in it. Set the kitchen timer for five minutes.  You want to dry the pie shell out, not bake it.  Take it out promptly after five minutes, and turn the oven back on.

Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and whip at high speed until they are white, thick and form stiff peaks. Gradually add the sugar and whip for another minute.  Set aside.

Place the egg yolks in a separate mixing bowl and whip at high speed for one minute until fluffy. Add the carton of Rich's Whip and whip at high speed for five minutes, until high and thick.  Add the can of pumpkin, about a third of the can at a time, and all the spices, and keep whipping until mixed very well.

Fold the pumpkin/whip mixture into the egg whites gradually and mix by hand with a wooden spoon (do not use your mixer for this part).  When completely blended, gradually add the chocolate chips.  Pour the mixture into the pie shell.  Overfill the shell, because there is a lot of air in the batter and it will settle a little in the oven.  Bake immediately at 350 degrees for about half an hour.   Serve warm.

Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!

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