TINY CRUSTLESS PUMPKIN PIES

Because who really cares about the crust anyway?

I heart pumpkin pie, the spicier the better. Often it is I who "insist" on making the pumpkin pie for a holiday dinner --in fact I am a control freak. I like my damn pie the way I make it. I have noticed the past few times though, that I had a LOT OF pie batter left over. Like I filled the two nine inch pie crusts to brimming and there was still over a dozen tiny crustless pumpkin pies' worth of material. 

In case you want to convert a whole recipes' worth, I estimate that you'd get about 36 tiny pies. 

THE RECIPE I USE

Is found on the back of the Libby's pumpkin can, with a few modifications. In case you are not staring at a can of pumpkin filling, here is the recipe:

1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves 
4 large eggs
1 can (29 oz) of LIBBY'S (R) 100% Pure Pumpkin
2 cans (12 fl oz each) of CARNATION (R) evaporated milk
2 pie shells

Mix sugar/salt/spices together. Whisk eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour pie into two shells. Bake at preheated 425 oven for 15 mins, then cut the temp to 350 for 40-50 mins or until a knife comes out clean. Cool for two hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

My modifications:
1) Double the spices.
2) Lessen the sugar by 1/4 cup.
4) Add nutmeg. Just shake it all around in there. Give the top of the batter a good sprinkling.
5) Add vanilla. Don't measure this either. Pour it in like you're topping off someone's drink.

So anyway like I said, I realized that even if I fill my two shells to capacity, there was a lot of potential pumpkin custard left over in the bowl. So:

Line a muffin tin with baking cups. Ladle batter into cups until they are full but not brimming.

Bake tiny pies with regular sized pies, exactly the same temps. I put mine on the bottom rack and they turned out fine. Cool for two hours and then refrigerate. 

***
For any of you who follow this blog and know what my situation is right now, you should know that being mentally together enough to make tray-loads of pie amazes me. Baking is a joyous thing. I didn't know that I could rise to the occasion.

[...]

Last year when I tested this idea, half the tiny pies turned out tasty but how shall we say, aesthetically lacking. This was because I had to scrape them out of the Calphalon baking pan. I did not use baking cups. I didn't want the rippled edges. But I had not realized the wonderfully adhesive quality of caramelized custard. 
I'd had to call my mom. She'd told me (duh) use baking cups or parchment and how long to cook them for. 
I didn't remember how long, for this year. I had to keep testing them. Whatever she said, I hadn't written it down.

The good news and bad news about this jambalaya

(Yes, this jambalaya)

is that 

1) it weighs ten pounds. And I never measure or write anything down. Or follow recipes really, unless I'm baking. Thus:

2) You will have it for a week.

3) And then you will never taste it again.