For this tangy pumpkin pie the crust is lined
with homemade cranberry marmalade

It may be one of the most popular American desserts from Halloween through Thanksgiving and into the New Year. But not everyone loves pumpkin pie.

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't like it when I first came to the United States. It struck me as too sweet, and the smooth, spiced filling seemed slightly monotonous.

I prefer subtle contrasts in the food I cook and eat, the yin and yang of hot and cold, soothing and spicy, sweet and tangy, soft and crunchy. So, I wondered, how could I make a more complex, balanced pumpkin pie?

The answer dawned on me when I thought back to one of the seasonal treats my mother and grandmother loved to make: Linzertorte.

The classic Austrian pastry features a rich dough made from flour, butter, and finely ground nuts, with a filling of tangy jam, in my home usually raspberry preserves. Memories of the deep gemlike color and tart-sweet flavor of those raspberries instantly made me think of another seasonal specialty that shares pride of place along with pumpkin on the American table: cranberries. It was a short leap from there for me to prepare a quick marmalade of cranberries, combined with brown sugar and sweet spices, and spread it inside a crumbly homemade pie crust before adding a quickly mixed pumpkin filling and baking the pie. The results, though more complex than your usual pumpkin pie, are almost as easy to make.

You can prepare the pie pastry well in advance, and my recipe here yields enough for two pies; store the other round of dough in the freezer, to thaw before use in another pie or as the basis for sugar cookies you can cut out and decorate in favorite holiday shapes and colors. Or, if you decide to make the pie at the last minute, just pick up a package of ready-to-use pie dough in the refrigerator or freezer case of your supermarket.

The cranberry marmalade should be made at least an hour or two ahead of time, so it has time to cool before you line the bottom of the pie with it. Cooking the mixture, though, takes only a few minutes. Use whole fresh or frozen cranberries, both widely available at this time of year.

As for the pumpkin filling, it relies on the canned pumpkin puree sold in markets everywhere. I like to add my own mixture of spices rather than the commercial mixtures labeled "pumpkin pie spice." And I also add a splash of bourbon, which adds an extra hint of intriguing flavor without an appreciable amount of alcohol.

Such little touches add up to a big impact -- a pumpkin pie even an Austrian-born chef can love!

Serves 12

Ingredients - Deep-Dish Pumpkin Pie with Cranberry Marmalade

1/2 recipe Sugar Dough (recipe follows)

Cranberry Marmalade (recipe follows)

PUMPKIN FILLING:

2 cups canned organic pumpkin

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pinch salt

Pinch white pepper

4 cage-free eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup half-and-half

3 tablespoons bourbon

Preparation - Deep-Dish Pumpkin Pie with Cranberry Marmalade

Up to 2 days ahead, prepare the Sugar Dough and Cranberry Marmalade (recipes follow).

On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a 13-inch circle. Transfer to a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Gently press the dough into the plate and trim the edges with a small, sharp knife. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line the chilled pie shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the paper or foil and weights; bake for 10 minutes more. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.

Spread the Cranberry Marmalade evenly on the bottom of the pie shell.

For the Pumpkin Filling, in a large mixing bowl combine the canned pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, salt, and pepper. With a wire whisk, thoroughly stir in the eggs, cream, half-and-half, and bourbon. Pour into the pie shell and smooth its surface with a rubber spatula.

Bake the pie until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and leave to cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator before cutting into wedges and serving.

SUGAR DOUGH

Makes enough for 2 pies

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1-2/3 cups cake flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 cage-free egg yolks

1 tablespoon whipping cream

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Put the flours, sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade. Pulse to combine.

Add the butter and pulse 10 to 15 times, until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the egg yolks and cream and pulse twice. Pulse in enough of the ice water to form a smooth but not wet dough.

Gather the dough into a ball and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a disk, wrap it individually in plastic wrap, and seal in an airtight freezer bag. Refrigerate 1 piece until ready to make the pie; freeze the other piece for another use.

CRANBERRY MARMALADE

Makes about 1 cup

4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise in half, seeds scraped out and reserved

1 cinnamon stick

Pinch ground nutmeg

1/2 pound fresh or frozen cranberries

Put the sugar, water, orange zest, Grand Marnier, vanilla bean and seeds, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the cranberries, reduce the heat, and simmer until the berries have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. If making in advance, transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Additional Thanksgiving Day Recipes

Turkey Tutorial

Turkey Tutorial: Tips for a Perfect Thanksgiving Bird
Anne Willan

You'll find the same basics of oven temperature, timing, seasonings and gravy making in any household cookbook, so I won't repeat them here. What I want to share are the background tips I've picked up over the years for making a perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving Stuffing

Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing - 3 Super Stuffing Recipes
Kathy Hunt

While the tried and true breadcrumb stuffing goes well with virtually anything, wild rice stuffing partners best with such fowl as goose, turkey, chicken and Cornish game hens. Apple-cranberry cornbread enlivens duck, goose, pork and turkey. As for the zesty gingerbread, that compliments turkey perfectly.

Chicken-Apple Sausage, Chestnut, Dried Fruit and Nut Stuffing
Diane Rossen Worthington

In my home, stuffing is a highly prized part of the holiday dinner, so I make at least two kinds. The recipe below is a must-have every year. I usually cook it in a large ovenproof casserole, assembling it ahead of time and baking it before serving. This recipe is great for stuffing a 16-pound turkey

Turkey and Succotash Cream Soup
Bev Bennett

Succotash. The name, from a Narragansett Indian word for boiled corn kernels, can't begin to explain the dish that tastes better than you'd imagine. Succotash is a combination of corn and beans and sometimes tomatoes, depending on regional availability and preferences. The formula may seem plain, but when you put the basics together you get a dish that's comforting and tasty.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Pumpkin Pie Bars
Betty Rosbottom

For the holiday that more than any other is associated with food and feasting, I've got a delicious new pumpkin dessert to add to my menu. Several weeks ago, while discarding some old files, I came across a hand written recipe for pumpkin pie bars that a student had given me more than 20 years ago. Somehow it had been tucked away and left undiscovered.

Creme Brulee

Ginger Creme Brulee
Lisa Odegard

Some might say creme brulee cannot be improved upon in its classical form of cream, egg yolks and sugar. But ginger adds a zesty kick -- but be sure to follow the instructions carefully. This recipe is gluten-free, and makes a perfect light dessert for after heavy holiday dinners.

Creamy Vanilla Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Thanksgiving Holiday Recipe

One way to expand your holiday recipe list this year is to use vanilla in savory dishes like Creamy Vanilla Sweet Potatoes, in addition to cakes and cookies. Vanilla helps to enhance the inherent flavors of sweet potatoes ...

Deep-Dish Pumpkin Pie with Cranberry Marmalade
Recipes by Wolfgang Puck

It may be one of the most popular American desserts from Halloween through Thanksgiving and into the New Year. But not everyone loves pumpkin pie. So, I wondered, how could I make a more complex, balanced pumpkin pie?

Deep-Dish Pumpkin Pie with Cranberry Marmalade Recipe - Recipes by Wolfgang Puck

(c) 2009 Wolfgang Puck