Paleo Kabocha Pie: How to Make a Healthier Pie |

My favorite part of a holiday dinner is dessert. Sweet aroma of spices and pumpkin are, of course, synonymous with Thanksgiving. But for our holiday dessert, in place of pumpkin, I chose flavorful (and very nutritious) kabocha squash. The result - honey-sweetened, flourless Paleo Kabocha Pie - is indulgent. Because kabocha squash is sweeter and fluffier than pumpkin, the pie has an unbeatable chestnut-like texture and a complex sweetness. (To assure you, according to Wikipedia, Kabocha has an exceptional sweet flavor, even sweeter than butternut squash.) And unlike more common versions of the dessert, Paleo Kabocha Pie is overloaded with luscious custard. But these are not the only reasons to love this heavenly dessert. Bite after bite into the pie, you will savor the remarkable flavors of the fall: pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves. Now let me give you a few serving tips. I would recommend decorating the Paleo Kabocha Pie with walnuts or pecans. And if you wish to go over the top (and end in heaven!), drop a dollop of fresh, lightly sweetened whipped cream. But if you are still skeptical that kabocha squash is the perfect "pumpkin" for your festive dessert, just give it a try. I surmise you will forever replace your holiday pumpkins with this scrumptious squash.

For the Crust:

1 large egg

1 ½ cups blanched almond flour

1.50 tbsp light colored honey

½ cup raw pecans, or walnuts, ground in food processor

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp olive oil, more for greasing

2 pinches baking soda

For the Custard:

2 ½ cups roasted kabocha squash (brush halves with oil and roast at 400 F until soft, or for 40-45 minutes.)

3 large eggs

1 egg yolk

⅔ cup light colored honey

2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk or full-fat dairy milk for thinning. You may need to adjust this amount depending on the texture.

For the Spice Mix:

½ tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp sumac (optional)(slightly tart sumac adds nice complexity)

⅔ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Prepare the Pie Form:

Cut out a 9-inch circle from parchment paper. Grease a 9-inch round pie form with oil and place the circle on top. Grease the circle.

Prepare the Crust:

In a large bowl, fluff blanched almond flour and baking soda with a fork. Add ground pecans or walnuts.

In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg and 2 tbsp honey until incorporated.

Now fold together with nuts and incorporate. Knead the dough. Press the dough only on the bottom (!!!!) of the prepared pie form. Refrigerate.

Prepare the Custard:

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, puree kabocha squash, the rest of the custard ingredients and spices until smooth.

Pour custard on top of the refrigerated crust. Bake the Paleo Kabocha Pie for 40 minutes at 350F at convection setting, or until the pie custard is just a little jiggly in the center. (It will settle more as it cools.)

Print Options:

Paleo Kabocha Pie: How to Make a Healthier Pie