2 weeks Ago
Halfway between a pumpkin pie and a cheesecake — that’s how I describe this tart. It’s similar to the time-honored pie but lighter in taste and texture, and it’s smooth and airy, like a light cheesecake, but not as rich. It’s a great choice for our November feast day when many of us are stuffed after the main course, for it isn’t as heavy as many of the traditional desserts but just as pleasing.
Another vote in its favor: It must be refrigerated for at least 12 hours, so it can be made a day before the big event. I’ve served it numerous times over the years, tweaking the recipe each time I make it. This is my current, and I think my best, rendition.
Be sure to bring the cream cheese to room temperature before you start the filling. Active time: 35 minutes, total time: 2 hours plus at least 12 hours in the fridge Make in a 9-inch nonstick tart pan with a removable base For the crust 11⁄4 cups (5 ounces) cinnamon graham cracker crumbs — 8 large Nabisco crackers, not yet broken into sections 1/3 cup pecans 2 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar, preferably Baker’s 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted For the filling 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature 1⁄2 cup superfine granulated sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup packed canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling) 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves Preparation: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees with the rack in the center position. Lightly grease your tart pan (even if it’s nonstick) and set it aside.
Make the crust: Break up the graham crackers, place them in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse until crumbs form. Measure the crumbs; you want 11⁄4 cups. If necessary, create more crumbs to make this amount.
Return 11⁄4 cups of crumbs to the processor, with the pecans and sugar, and process until the nuts are finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture is moist and holds together when you press it between your fingers. Bake and cool the crust: Pour the mixture into your pan.
Press it into the sides, making a rim about 1⁄4-inch thick. Press the remaining mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. If you use a tart pan with 1 inch or lower sides, you may not need all of the mixture.
Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, until it’s set and aromatic, and then remove it to a cooling rack to cool completely. Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with a rack in the center position. Scrape the bowl several times during this step.
Beat the cream cheese and sour cream in a medium bowl until fully blended and smooth. Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating again until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until each is blended into the mixture.
Remove 1⁄2 cup of the mixture and set it aside. To complete the filling, add the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and cloves to the larger amount of the cheese mixture (in the medium bowl) and stir until fully blended. Assemble the tart: Spread the larger amount of the cheese mixture in the cooled crust to just below the rim of the pan (it puffs while it bakes so don’t fill it to the top).
You may not use it all, depending on the depth of your pan. Smooth and level it. Drop little mounds of the reserved 1⁄2 cup of the cheese mixture over the pumpkin filling, leaving spaces between them.
Swirl the mounds into a pretty pattern with the tip of a knife. Bake the tart: Place the filled tart pan on a cookie sheet (for ease in moving it in and out of the oven). Bake the tart until it is puffed and firm (check in the center), about 23-30 minutes depending on the depth of your pan.
Cool and refrigerate: Cool the tart completely on a rack (it will deflate as it cools) and then refrigerate it. Once it’s cold, cover it with foil and continue to refrigerate it for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. Serve and store: Serve it cold, right out of the fridge.
Slice it with a thin, sharp-bladed knife, cleaning the blade after each cut. Store any leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator..
