...and the dramatic conclusion...

I am declaring this project a partial success, although it didn't look that way at first. I uncovered the pies last night to find this:

A brulee top only lasts a couple of hours before the moisture in the air causes the sugar to melt into a thick, syrupy sludge that works its way through the pie to the bottom of the plate. Ladies and gentleman, I have now invented the La Brea Tar Pits of the pie world.

A lesser known extinction theory is that the dinosaurs died from a sudden onset of diabetes rather than a meteor

Wonderful. If the odds weren't stacked against these pitiful pies already, they sure were now. I fearfully dug in with my fork... only to be pleasantly surprised. Despite all it had been through, the regular pumpkin pie tasted really, really good, besides being a bit... sweet. The texture was thick and velvety smooth, the pumpkin flavor came through and the gingersnap crust – although I couldn't really call it a crust anymore at this point – gave it just the right kick I was hoping for.

The gluten free/vegan invention didn't fare so well. Since the texture was a little softer and wetter to begin with, the melted brulee turned it into a kind of pureed pumpkin goo, somewhat resemling a thick baby food. The pie was an experiment to begin with, and while the flavors weren't perfect the previous night, they were still in the ball park of an acceptable pumkin pie. But now they were completely ruined and the filling had absorbed so much of the sludge that I had to declare it inedible. And then go brush all the sugar off my teeth.

Conculsion? I need to experiment some more. I'm not really sure why the butane flavor stuck to the pie temporarily, and I have now learned that turbinado sugar is the best kind to use for a brulee. I was a fan of the filling although I think I'll take out the yams to boost the pumpkin flav–

E pecan. Aggiuini pecan. 

Oh dear.

Well, I guess it's a good thing Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I have already claimed the duty of pumpkin pie maker... MWAAAHAHAHAAAAA...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone, I hope your holiday is full of good company and great food, and hopefully free of dinosaur bones.