How to avoid fluffy pumpkin pie [duplicate]

Since nobody has answered yet, I took a shot at this one from the opposite direction: searching for solutions to a too-dense pie hoping to find some steps that were "wrong" for the questioner but would be right for your opposite goal of denser pie.

This is how one remedied his too-dense pie; in the link is the recipe from which he made his modifications:

This pie is just too dense. Not enough liquid. I will always add one can of condensed milk which provides lightness, no extra fat and a wonderful texture. Don't add the whipped cream to the pie use it on the top.

http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/2923/classic-pumpkin-pie

Another one recommends whipped egg whites into your filling for fluffier pie – would whole eggs, and/or not whipped, have the opposite effect?

There are those who would say it's just not Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie - and those who can't abide the pie's dense texture. A simple way to keep all of your guests happy: Fold two whipped egg whites into the filling for an airier, soufflé-like consistency.

(recipe for starting point is in link) http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/tips-were-thankful-225000108.html

This one seems to clarify that, suggesting three whole eggs and less evap milk for a denser pie:

The vast majority of people tell me this is the best pumpkin pie they've ever had. It's light and fluffy - however... if you want a heavy, more dense pie, use 3 eggs instead of 4 and 1 can of evaporated milk instead of 1.5)

http://www.pickyourown.org/pumpkinpie.php

Like @MargeGunderson I don't have a great answer to this, but I can perhaps shed a bit of light on what makes things fluffy:

• Air: stiff egg white is just fluff containing air, which will expand when heated. Expansion makes things fluffy
• Water: when water turns into steam it expands greatly. Unbeaten eggs are mostly water, and canned pumpkin is mostly water
• Chemical reactions: baking soda is a base that reacts with acid, producing bubbles which make the mix expand. Not a factor in most pumpkin pie recipes, but I'm being complete here
• Microbes: yeast is a microbe that eats sugar and O2 producing CO2, which takes up greater volume than O2, making things rise. It would be an unusual pumpkin pie that used this method!

The two that are a factor are air and water. Add more for more expansion (within limits of course), and remove them for less expansion. Canned pumpkin often has water added as part of the canning process (it adds weight giving you less for your money) and is pretty sloppy. If you want a really dense pumpkin pie then you'll need top open your can and dehydrate it a bit, possibly by pouring it into a baking dish and putting it in a very low oven 100F, ~60C for a couple of hours. I've never tried it myself so YMMV! You could also try putting it into a sieve and letting it drip, or putting it in a muslin cloth or jam bag and squeezing the water out.

Also try using ingredients that are dense themselves like sugar syrup, evaporated milk, etc. Let us know if you try and how it comes out!