1 baked Shortcrust Pastry case (see recipe, linked below)
For the pumpkin purée
500g grey pumpkin (kabocha squash) or similar
For the spiced caramel
2g salt
2g cinnamon
2g nutmeg
1g clove
1g ground ginger
270g dulce de leche
For the pumpkin custard
65g brown butter (see cook’s note, below)
240g pouring cream
115g golden caster sugar
8g salt
200g egg yolks
Method
Preheat the oven to
180C/160C F/Gas 4
For the pumpkin purée, cut
the pumpkin into wedges and
deseed. Put on a baking tray
lined with baking paper and
bake for 45 minutes or until soft.
Allow to cool.
Remove the skin, blitz in a
blender for 3 minutes or until
smooth, then set aside. Reduce
the oven temperature to
125C/105C F/Gas 1⁄2.
For the spiced caramel, mix
the salt and spices into the
dulce de leche with a silicone
spatula and spread over the
base of the pastry case.
For the pumpkin custard, add 280g pumpkin purée, the
brown butter, cream, sugar and
salt to a large pan and bring to
a simmer, then remove from the
heat immediately.
Put the egg yolks in a mixing
bowl and whisk in a little of the
hot pumpkin mixture. Add the
remaining mixture and blitz
with a hand blender until shiny
and smooth – to prevent air
being incorporated, keep the
head of the blender under the
surface. Decant into a jug to use
straightaway – you want to keep
it as warm as possible to ensure
the filling cooks evenly.
Put the prepared tart case - click here, into the oven and pour
the pumpkin custard over the
caramel layer. Bake the tart for
30 minutes or until the custard
is slightly wobbly in the centre,
then remove from the oven
and allow to cool completely.
Remove the tart from the tin
and slice into portions with a hot, sharp knife to serve.
COOK’S NOTE
To make brown butter, put the
butter in a medium pan over
a medium heat. Once it has
completely melted, allow the
butter to simmer gently until
it begins to foam. Continue to
cook, stirring with a whisk on
occasion to prevent burning
on the bottom of the pan.
Keep a careful eye on the
butter: it will start to expand,
small flecks of browned milk
solids will appear and the
‘fizzing’ sound will stop. At this
point, remove it from the heat
and allow to cool slightly. Strain
through a fine sieve into an
airtight container, then store
in the fridge until needed.
Recipes And Photographs Taken From Tarts Anon By Gareth Whitton And Catherine Way, Photographs By Armelle Habib (Hardie Grant, £26).
