A Cup of Tea and Cake’s Maple Pumpkin Pie

For the crust

• 150g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
• 550g ginger-nut biscuits, crushed
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp pure Canadian maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)

For the filling

• 900g butternut pumpkin flesh, chopped
• 125ml pure Canadian maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)
• 125ml coconut milk
• 2 eggs, plus 1 extra egg yolk
• ½ tbsp freshly grated nutmeg 
• ½ tbsp ground ginger
• ½ tbsp ground cinnamon

For the topping

• 1 tbsp pure Canadian maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)
• 300ml double cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence 
• 1 tbsp maple sugar

1. Place the chopped pumpkin in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high (600-700W) for 15-20 minutes until soft and tender. Transfer to a colander to drain excess liquid and set aside to cool. 
2. Preheat the oven to 180C. To make the crust, place the gingernut biscuits in a large sealed sandwich bag and use a rolling pin to bash them until they resemble breadcrumbs. Place them in a bowl with the cinnamon, maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix well.
3. Press the crumbs into the base and sides of a 24cm pie tin. Chill for 30 minutes.
4. To make the filling, whizz the softened pumpkin, maple syrup, coconut milk, eggs, egg yolk and spices in a food processor until smooth.
5. Pour into the pan and bake for 50-60 minutes until set with a slight wobble in the centre. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool completely.
6. Pour your cream into a bowl and add the maple syrup, sugar and vanilla essence then whisk until you have soft peaks. 
7. Once your pie has cooled completely, top with the cream. Slice and serve with a little extra grated nutmeg.