October 10, 2015
As Halloween is just around the corner it’s time to bake something with pumpkin. Or squash.
We have been stocked with some new costumes, have carved some pumpkins but saved couple of ones for later, and decided how to decorate the house this year. The boys always want new creative design, creepier and more frightening stuff and I can hardly resist. So with this tart the Halloween baking season has already started and the boozy, scary, dusty sweets are coming shortly. So just stay tuned if you dare! Boo!
Ingredients:
for the pastry:
250 gr plain flour
125 gr unsalted cold butter
2 egg yolks
50 gr sugar
pinch of salt
for the chocolate layer:
100 gr digestive biscuit
100 gr chocolate
for the pumpkin layer:
1 kg pumpkin or butternut squash (or approx 300 gr pumpkin puree)
250 gr mascarpone
3 eggs
2 tbsp sugar
2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
2-3 tbsp corn flour
Method:
- First of all we make the pastry of the tart: put the flour, cold, diced butter, egg yolks, salt and sugar into a bowl. Mix on low until looks like crumbles then add 1-2 tbsp cold water to come together. Wrap into cling film and put into the fridge for at least half an hour to have rest.
- Preheat oven to 180 C. While the pastry has rest in the fridge bake the squash: halve, peel, remove the seeds then dice the flesh. Place on a slightly greased baking tray, sprinkle with pumpkin spice and bake until tender about for 30-40 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the chocolate layer: put the biscuits into the food processor and chop finely. Melt the chocolate in heatproof bowl then mix with the biscuit. Set aside.
- When the pumpkin is ready take the pastry out of the fridge. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then use to line a 23cm diameter tart tin, letting the excess hang over the sides. Line the pastry with baking paper, then fill with baking beans (or uncooked rice/lentils). Put the tin on a baking sheet, then bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking paper and beans/rice/lentils, then bake for 10 minutes more. Take the pastry case out of the oven, then trim off the overhanging pastry.
- Spread the chocolate filling evenly on the blind baked pastry.
- Then make the pumpkin layer: make a puree with the baked pumpkin in a food processor. Put all the other ingredients into a bowl, then add the pumpkin puree and mix with a wire whisk until smooth and silky. Pour over the chocolate spread and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the middle gets set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
- Before serving sprinkle the top with some cocoa powder.
