Leaf Pie-L

SERVES: 12

COOK TIME: 1 Hr 5 Min

This pie-L of leaves will make you want to dive in and start eating. Leaf shapes cut from pastry dough get a colorful egg wash before baking. Bake them up with pie dough tines and a sugared bread-stick handle.

What You'll Need

3 rolls refrigerated pie dough (1-1/2 containers, 14.1-ounces each)
All-purpose flour
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup plus 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons red decorating sugar
1 plain bread stick, 6 inches long
1 pinch Pinch of ground cinnamon
Red, green, and yellow food coloring
1 (7-inch) piece strawberry fruit leather

What to Do

Adjust oven rack to lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. For the pie, roll out 1 roll of pie dough on a lightly floured surface to an 11-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold excess dough under rim of pie plate to make a clean edge; crimp. Place pie shell in refrigerator until ready to fill.
In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, evaporated milk, and whole eggs. Beat with a whisk until well combined and smooth. Remove pie shell from refrigerator and fill with pumpkin mixture.
Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until center is just set, 40 to 50 additional minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat egg whites until well blended. Roll out another roll of refrigerated pie dough on a lightly floured surface to an 11-inch circle.
Cut the dough into ten 1/2- x 6-inch strips. On baking sheet, arrange 9 strips into the shape of a rake head, overlapping the top of strips and leaving 1/4 inch between strips at the bottom. Lean the bottom 1/2 inch of strips on one edge of baking sheet to create the curved tines. Sprinkle dough with 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Brush the remaining strip of dough with some of the beaten egg white and sprinkle with red decorating sugar. Place the red strip crosswise over the other dough strips, trimming any excess. Brush the bread stick with the egg whites. Combine the remaining granulated sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over bread stick. Press one end of bread stick on top of small end of dough strips for handle of rake.
For the leaves, divide remaining egg whites among 4 small bowls. Tint each bowl with a different food color -- red, green, yellow, and orange (using red and yellow). Roll out remaining roll of dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using a variety of 2- to 3-inch leaf-shaped cookie cutters, cut out leaf shapes, cutting as closely as possible. Transfer shapes to baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
Brush a quarter of the leaves with one of the tinted egg washes and using a toothpick, lightly scorn veins in the leaves. Repeat with remaining leaves and egg washes, using a clean pastry brush for each color. Place some of the leaves against the rim of the baking sheet to give them shape.
Bake the leaves and rake in batches 8 to 10 minutes, or until just golden around edges. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Fold the fruit leather in half lengthwise and wrap around bread stick where it connects to dough strips. Secure with a dot of water. When ready to serve, arrange some of the leaves over pie. Serve with rake and extra leaves.