Pumpkin Ginger Brulee Tart – A twist on the standard pumpkin pie: a light and creamy spiced pumpkin filling inside a ginger nut cookie crust and with a toffee shell on top to bust through.
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Pumpkin pie isn’t my favorite holiday dessert. Because of that Pumpkin Ginger Brulee Tart was born. This way I can at least eat the toffee shards and the crust and forgo the spiced, atomic looking filling. I’m not really selling this am I? If I had to eat pumpkin pie during the holidays, this would be it, although it’s actually a tart not a pie. Details, details.
I like pumpkin roasted and served with a roast slathered in gravy. I’m still not sure what to make of pumpkin pureed and put into a sweet pie. Nor American and Canadians love of pumpkin pie spice. But here I am, sharing a recipe. To be honest, it’s a recipe I developed for a Canadian Christmas cookbook I wrote several years ago. Pumpkin pie’s popularity meant I wanted to share my own version of a pumpkin dessert for the holiday season. So tah-dah! Here she is.
When I first created this recipe, I simply dusted it with icing sugar. There was no bruleed top to crack through with the back of your spoon and it was still good. So if you don’t have a handy little brulee torch never fear, just a dusting of icing sugar will suffice. The link there is the torch I last bought and I quite like it. It’s small and great to transport in the food styling kit.
Make-ahead recipes are perfect for anytime but especially around the holidays. This tart can be made a day or two ahead of serving and then all that’s left to do is either brulee the top or a dusting of icing sugar. Perhaps some cream or ice cream. What’s your favorite holiday dessert? Mine has to be mum’s apple pie. A recipe I hope to share with you in the coming weeks. Take care, Lovoni xo
PUMPKIN GINGER BRULEE TART
Equipment
- 10-inch tart pan w a removable base
Ingredients
- 10 oz gingersnap cookies
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans halves
- 2/3 cup melted butter
PUMPKIN FILLING
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 14 oz can pure pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup whipping cream or canned evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch salt
- 3 to 4 tablespoons white sugar
Instructions
- Grease a 10-inch (25cm) tart pan with a removable base.
- Place cookies and pecans in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add the butter and process until well combined. Scrape the mixture into the tart pan. Using a flat bottom, straight-sided glass, press mixture onto the base and side of pan. Place on a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
To make the filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
- Using the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, brown sugar and syrup until well combined and pale – about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin, cream, spice and salt; beat until well combined. Pour the mixture into the chilled tart case; smooth the top. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool at room temperature before carefully covering the tart and chilling it for 8 hours or overnight.
- Sprinkle with the white sugar and using a brûlée torch, torch the sugar until caramelized. Let sit for 5 minutes to harden. Or, place until hot broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until the sugar is caramelized. You might need to place the tart back into the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes to chill again if you’ve used the broiler. Or, you can forgo this method and simply sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar just before serving.
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