This recipe makes more than you need for the one tart. It’s very hard to make a small amount of pastry, but any you have left roll into a tart shell, wrap it tightly and freeze it for up to a month. Just defrost and bake.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment slowly mix the icing sugar and diced butter (at room temperature) just until it’s homogenous. Try not to whip any air into the mix, or the texture of the tart will not be as ‘short’ and crumbly.
With the mixer paddle still moving slowly add the egg yolks one by one to the mix.
Once they’re all incorporated add the flour, all at once, to the bowl. Mix gently until the paste starts to come together then drizzle in some of the water. You may not need it all, it depends on the flour you’re using, and the size of your egg yolks.
As soon as you’ve added enough for the paste to form a ball and come away from the sides of the bowl stop mixing, it’s ready.
Separate the dough into 4 balls and slightly flatten them (it makes it easier to roll later ) wrap them in cling-film and refrigerate for at least 30mins.
On a cool surface, lightly dusted with flour, roll out one of your balls slightly wider than your tart tin and no thicker than 2 mms. Lightly dust your rolled pastry with flour and place your rolling pin on top.
This takes a little leap of faith, roll the pastry over and around the rolling pin then lift it up and gently unroll it into your tart mould. If all’s well it should have unfurled perfectly into the tin.
Make a little marble of excess dough and use it to gently push the pastry into the corners of the tin. Leave the excess pastry hanging over the edges of the mould, you can trim them later.
With a fork prick the pastry base all over and leave to rest in the fridge for another thirty minutes.
Line the base with greaseproof paper and pour baking beans up to the top (fancy ceramic or dried chickpeas will do). Bake at 165c for about 20 minutes.
Remove the baking beans and paper and brush the tart with the egg yolk and milk mixture, this will patch up any cracks and waterproof your tart shell from the filling keeping it crisp and short.
Return the tart shell to the oven for five minutes, or until golden brown. At this point leave the edges (which will probably look a little dark by now) hanging over the tin.
Pumpkin Filling:
Making pumpkin pure from scratch is a bit tricky since the water content of different pumpkins varies widely. If i’m honest I would buy a good quality tin (which more supermarkets stock now) if I was making the tart at home. If you don’t believe me and want to make your own purée choose a firm, dark coloured pumpkin like; Muscat de Provence and roast it quartered, in the skin, until tender. Scoop out the flesh and blend in the liquidiser, then leave to drain overnight in a muslin lined colander.
In a stand mixer whisk together the eggs and the two sugars until they fluff up and turn a pale colour, doubling in size.
Gently fold in the flour and spices.
Split the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds and add to the mix.
Fold in the pumpkin pureé followed by the melted butter, double cream and a generous slug of rum.
Pour the mix into the tart shell and bake at 160C until it’s just set like a custard tart, about 20 minutes.
The top will go slightly golden brown and it should still have a slight wobble in the very middle like a custard tart.
Let the tart rest and cool slightly then trim off it’s sides
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve, warm.
At the restaurant we serve this tart with salted caramel sauce and candied chestnut ice cream but if I was at home- and some people can’t bear the thought of this, I’d sprinkle the tart with marshmallows and brown it under the grill. Food for thought!
Close
Scroll
