Roasted white chocolate and pumpkin pie

Directions

Pie Crust 

1. Combine the dry ingredients by stirring the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil. Using a pastry cutter, electric beaters, or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend until the flour looks evenly crumbly.
2. Add the butter and cut in until the dough is rough and crumbly but small pieces of butter are still visible.
3. Place the water and vinegar (or lemon juice) in a small bowl, stir together and then add all at once to the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together. Shape it into two discs, wrap well and chill until firm, at least one hour. 
4. If you are not making a pie immediately, refrigerate the dough, well wrapped, for up to two days, or freeze it for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling.
5. Roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle just under a one-quarter inch (6 mm) thick. Trim away any large pieces of dough from the edge and tuck and pinch the edges in a pattern. Alternatively, trim the pastry to the outside edge of the pie plate and press it in place. Cut out shapes from the excess pastry, moisten with water, and press gently along the top edge of the pastry. Dock the bottom of the pie shell with a fork. Chill the pastry shell for at least 30 minutes (up to a day).
6. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
7. Weight the pie shell. Place two sheets of aluminum foil over the pie shell, gently covering the outside trim. Use pie weights, dried rice, or dried beans (about two cups) and pour these on top of the foil, spreading them out to the edges.
8. Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil together with the pie weights (this is why you double up on the foil).
9. For a partially baked pie shell: Return the pan to the oven to bake for 10 minutes more, until the edges of the pastry are light brown and the bottom of the pastry appears dry but still pale.
10. For a fully baked pie shell: Return the pan to the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges of the pastry are golden brown and the bottom of the pastry is lightly browned.
11. Brush the pie shell, hot from the oven, with lightly whisked egg white.
12. Cool the pie shell in its pan on a rack before filling.
13. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the blind-baked pie shell on a baking tray (still in its pan).

White Chocolate Ganache 

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C).
2. Melt and roast the chocolate. Place the chopped chocolate into a nine-inch glass pie plate or ceramic dish of similar size. Roast the chocolate, uncovered, for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. The chocolate will become a light caramel colour. TIP: While roasting, chocolate naturally goes through an amazing transformation. It may almost appear to seize. Keep stirring for about a minute every 15 minutes, and by the time the hour is up and the cream is added, it will reach a smooth, silky consistency.
3. After 15 minutes: Chocolate is fluid once stirred. Press out any lumps with a spatula.
4. After 30 minutes: Chocolate is beige on the surface, is darker underneath once stirred, and has lost its shine. Stir the chocolate very well. It will be tight at first but will smooth out to become spreadable (but not fluid).
5. After 45 minutes: Chocolate is similar to how it was at 30 minutes but darker and tighter and grainier. Stir for a full minute to make it smooth.
6. After one hour: The chocolate is very tight and grainy. Keep stirring. The chocolate will become smooth and spreadable, and the shine will return (it will look like melted peanut butter).
7. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat to just below a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and scrape in the roasted white chocolate, whisking gently until smooth and well combined. The ganache will have the same colour and texture as a caramel sauce. Cool the ganache to room temperature and then chill until ready to use.
8. Store ganache in an airtight container in the fridge until the best-before date on the cream you used.

Filling 

1. Whisk the pumpkin purée with the whipping cream, roasted white chocolate ganache, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves. Whisk in the whole egg and egg yolks.
2. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for about 40 minutes, until the filling is set when the pie plate is shaken. Cool to room temperature and chill for at least two hours before topping.
3. If the roasted white chocolate ganache is not at room temperature (smooth and almost fluid), warm it over low heat on the stove, while stirring, or microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, and then stir. Using electric beaters or a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the cream and white chocolate ganache until the chocolate cream holds a peak when the beaters are lifted.

Serve

1. Spoon the chocolate cream into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe a “rope” design around the outside edge of the pumpkin filling. Chill until ready to serve.
2. The pie will keep, loosely wrapped in plastic, in the fridge for up to three days.