Pumpkin Cream Tart
This recipe came to life when I received a package of gingersnap cookies as a gift the other day and needed a use for them. I decided to crush them up and make a crust for a delicious Pumpkin Cream Tart.
The best cookies in my opinion are chewy and not hard, so I wanted to create a crust that was chewy like a cookie and soft and crumbly like a normal crust. I already had all the ingredients for this tart in my well-stocked panty — you probably have most of the ingredients to make this tart right on hand, so you wont have to buy a lot of ingredients. 
This recipe actually tastes better the next day, so if you have time, make the tart in advance so that the flavors meld together. My Pumpkin Cream Tart makes a great desert for your Thanksgiving table and it’s much easier than having to deal with baking pies.
- 4 cups of gingersnap cookies ground up in a food processor so you have 2 cups of crumbs. You want a coarse crumb, not a fine powder.
- 1 stick of melted unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup of organic milk
- 1 can (15.5oz) pureed organic pumpkin
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Crust- Mix all of the ingredients together until the mixture just comes together and then press it out in a 9” tart pan with removable bottom. Press it out so that the mixture covers the bottom and goes part way up the sides. Next, place the crust in the freezer for 10 minutes ( I got this tip from Martha Stewart and this trick helps the tart to keep it’s form). After 10 minutes, place the crust in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until it’s set and feels firm, but not hard. The crust might puff up. Just take a spatula and gently press it back down. Set aside to cool.
- Filling-Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a small pan and heat over medium heat until warmed through. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together in a bowl. Spoon 1/2 cup or so of the warm pumpkin mixture into the eggs and whisk together. Then mix the egg mixture into the pan with the pumpkin. Continue whisking over medium/low heat until the mixture thickens like a pudding and then add in the vanilla. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge to cool.
- Assemble- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream on medium high speed until it starts to come together. Add in sugar and vanilla and continue until the cream has firm peaks.
- Remove the sides of the pan from the tart and place on a cake stand. Pour cooled pumpkin filling into tart and spread out evenly. Top with whipped cream and smooth out over the entire top, I like to keep the whipped cream about 1/2 inch from the edge so that you can still see a ring of the filling around the edge. Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours (even better to chill overnight). Note: when cutting, the crust will be chewy and it will stick to the bottom of the pan. I like to cut the into a slice and then take the knife and gently get it under the slice and gently work it to make sure the entire crust comes out with the slice.
