SPICED PUMPKIN AND WALNUT TART . . .AROMATIC SPICES AND A SWEET WALNUT PASTRY
Cuisine: dessert
Author: Mrs Butterfingers
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 50 mins
Total time: 1 hour 50 mins
Pumpkin is a marvelous vegetable that can be used in both sweet and savoury recipes. Here it is matched with aromatic spices and sweet walnut pastry.
Ingredients
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • A scant cup (200g) of sour cream
  • A generous half cup(125g) of light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground clovers
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamon
  • 1'2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1¾ cup (425 g) tinned pumpkin puree
  • 1 medium egg, beaten, to glaze
  • FOR THE PASTRY
  • Scant 1¾ cups (225g) all purpose flour
  • ½ cup (4 oz, 115 g) cold unsalted butter, diced into small pieces
  • ¼ cup (50g) fine sugar
  • 1¼ cups (125g) finely ground walnuts
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tbsp ice-cold water
Instructions
  1. TO MAKE THE PASTRY
  2. Preheat the oven to 400F(200C) and put a baking tray inside to heat up.
  3. Put the flour into a large bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Use the flats of your hand to rub the mixture.
  4. Stir in the sugar and ground walnuts.
  5. Stirring with a flat-bladed knife (a table knife works fine) add enough of the yolk and water until the mixture clumps together.
  6. Bring together with the tips of your fingers into a ball. Knead on a lightly flour work surface until smooth. It will feel slightly crumbly at first but comes together.
  7. Flatten into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20 minutes.
  8. Lightly dust the work surface again with flour. Roll out the pastry a little thicker then you would normally do and line an 8 inch(22cm) round loose-bottomed flan tin.
  9. Prick the base with a fork and trim the edges.
  10. Chill until cold or pop in the freezer for 10 minutes/
  11. Gather up the trimmings and knead briefly until smooth.
  12. Roll out the same thickness as the tart and cut out into decorative shapes.
  13. Put out on a flour dusted board and chill until needed
  14. Line your flan tin with a very crumpled circle of parchment paper. The paper should extend generously above the rim of the tin. Fill with beans.
  15. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the sides have set.
  16. Remove the paper and beans and bake for 5 minutes more until the base feels dry and sandy. Cool then carefully remove the baked pastry from the tin.
  17. :Lower the temperature to 350F(180C)
  18. Briefly beat together the large eggs. (they shouldn't be foamy)
  19. Mix in the cream, sugar, spices and zest then blend in the pumpkin.
  20. Put the pastry case on a baking sheet (a cold one) and pour in the pumpkin mixture.
  21. Arrange the pastry shapes around the edge. Carefully brush with the beaten egg edge of the tart.
  22. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the tart wobbles slightly in the centre.
  23. Serve warm or chilled with whipped cream or ice cream
Recipe by Mrs. Butterfingers at http://mrsbutterfingers.com/?p=3780