My Mom's Layered Pumpkin Pie

My mom doesn't really like dessert and when she does, she usually eats it for breakfast. This pumpkin pie falls under the rare category of "desserts my mom likes" and she makes it every year on Thanksgiving. And, sure enough, Friday morning, my mom & my sister both had a slice of pie for breakfast.

This pumpkin pie is not your traditional pumpkin pie by any stretch of the imagination. It has a gingersnap crust and the pumpkin layers are alternated with layers of spiced whipped cream. It's a very yummy pumpkin pie, albeit a little bit different than normal!

Layered Pumpkin Pie

Crust:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnap cookies
1/2 c melted butter
1/4 c sugar

Combine cookies, butter, and sugar and press into a 9" pie plate. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Pie Filling:
Pumpkin Layers:
1 envelope of powdered gelatin
1 ¼ cups pureed pumpkin
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
3 egg yolks
½ c evaporated milk or light cream
3 eggs whites
¼ c powdered sugar

Whipped Cream Layers:
1 c whipping cream
¾ c powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon

In a saucepan, combine sugar, gelatin, pumpkin, spices, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. Cook this mixture until thickened and let cool (nb: the thickening process can take a little while, my mom says it’s important to let it get “nice and thick”). Beat the egg whites and gradually add ¼ c powdered sugar, beat this mixture to stiff peaks. Fold the egg white mixture into the pumpkin custard.
Whip the cream with the remaining powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. To ½ of the whipped cream mixture, stir in the cinnamon.
To assemble: fill the crust with ½ of the pumpkin mixture. Top this with the plain whipped cream in an even layer. Then add the remaining pumpkin mixture in another even layer. Finally, top with the cinnamon whipped cream layer and chill for 6 hours.