Serves 8

1 recipe never fail pie crust
FILLING:
1 3/4 cups canned solid pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Topping:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
4 large egg whites

Roll the dough into a round 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface, drape it over a rolling pin, and fit it into a 9-inch shallow pie pan. Press the dough firmly into the pan and cut off any excess with the floured rolling pin. Freeze any leftover dough for future use.
Preheat oven at 375 degrees.
Line pie shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shell for 25 minutes. Remove weight or rice and foil, and bake shell until just pale golden. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
Filling:
In a bowl, whisk together the filling ingredients, and pour into pie shell. Bake pie for 1 hour, or until center is almost firm. Cool on rack and refrigerate.
Topping:
Whip the cream with the instant vanilla pudding until it holds stiff peaks.
In a bowl, whisk sour cream.
In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water to soften for 1 minute. Heat to dissolve. Stir into sour cream. Gradually fold whipped cream into sour cream mixture.
Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until whites hold stiff, slightly glossy peaks.
Fold meringue into cream. Mount topping on chilled pie into a smooth dome. Make 8 even-spaced indented ridges with a church key can opener. Chill pie. Dust with cinnamon.
Insert cinnamon stick in center for stem.

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