Pumpkin tart

Yes, more pumpkin!

This one comes from mom – thanks! Not as time-consuming as the ingredients list looks and absolutely delicious twist on a classic to make this Thanksgiving weekend. Tip: save the pumpkin seeds!

You’ll need:

For the dough:

• 50g butter
• 100g sugar
• zest of 1/2 orange
• 1 yolk
• 150g flour
• 1 tablespoon grated fried pumpkin seeds
• pinch of salt
• 15g almond powder
• 1 packet vanilla sugar

For the pumpkin filling:

• 150g brown sugar
• 30g honey
• 100ml white wine
• 50ml orange juice
• 15g fresh ginger (finely grated)
• 3 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 10ml orange blossom water
• 300g pumpkin, cubed into small chunks

For the cheese filling:

• 300g farmers cheese or cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 50g condensed milk
• 175g pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 packet vanilla sugar (omit if using cream cheese and add 1 tsp vanilla extract instead)

For the ‘crumble’ topping:

• 65g sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground, fried pumpkin seeds
• 150g flout
• zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 85g butter (melted)

You’re ready to start!

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, make a ‘well’ for the egg yolk. Add the yolk and the chopped butter.Cut in the butter and knead lightly to combine until the dough comes together. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring all of the pumpkin filling ingredients – except for pumpkin itself and orange blossom water – to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

3. Bring syrup back to a boil and add in the cubed pumpkin and orange blossom water. Cook for about half an hour until pumpkin has softened.

4. Preheat oven to 160C (320F). Roll out the tart dough and layer in a buttered, round springform pan. Blind bake for 12 minutes. Cool on a rack.

5. In the meantime, prepare the farmers cheese/cream cheese part of the filling and preheat oven to 200C (390F). Whisk together the sugar and cream cheese.

6. In a separate bowl, mix condensed milk and pumpkin puree, then add in the cream cheese mix. Mix to combine and add cornstarch, spices and pumpkin cubes in syrup.

7. Spoon the filling into the tart shell, distributing evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

8. Combine the crumble ingredients (ground seeds, zest, flour, sugar, salt and melted butter) and sprinkle on top of the baked tart.

We’ll have mom on speed-dial in case of any questions.