Pumpkin-Caramel Tart with Toasted-Hazelnut Crust
A decadent dessert featuring a toasted hazelnut crust filled with a smooth pumpkin-caramel custard. The tart is topped with caramelized hazelnuts and served with whipped cream for an elegant autumn treat.
Ingredients
- •1¼ cups hazelnuts
- •1 cup all-purpose flour
- •2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- •¾ teaspoons kosher salt
- •½ cup unsalted butter
- •1 pinch cream of tartar
- •1¼ cups granulated sugar
- •1 cup heavy cream
- •1 cup pumpkin purée
- •2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- •1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- •1½ teaspoons ginger
- •¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- •¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- •3 whole eggs
- •1 serving whipped cream
- •1 piece springform pan
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until fragrant and slightly darkened, 8-10 minutes; let cool. Using a kitchen towel, rub hazelnuts together to remove most of the skins (don't worry about some stubborn bits remaining).
10 min
- 2.
Pulse flour, sugar, salt, and 3/4 cup hazelnuts in a food processor until the consistency of coarse meal. Reserve remaining 1/2 cup hazelnuts for filling. Add butter to dry ingredients and pulse until there are only a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.
5 min
- 3.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl; drizzle 3 Tbsp. ice water over and mix, adding another splash or so of water if needed, just to bring dough together.
5 min
- 4.
Using your fingers, press dough evenly 1 1/2"-2" up the sides and then into the bottom of pan; compact and smooth with a flat, straight-sided measuring cup or glass. Chill 20 minutes.
20 min
- 5.
Bake crust until golden but not totally baked through, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes.
20 min
- 6.
Meanwhile, bring cream of tartar, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 2 Tbsp. water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to mediumhigh and cook, swirling pan occasionally (do not stir), until caramel is a deep amber color, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisking constantly, carefully add cream (mixture will be extremely hot and will bubble vigorously); whisk until smooth. Let caramel cool slightly in pot.
15 min
- 7.
Whisk pumpkin purée, brown sugar, flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Gradually add caramel and eggs, whisking until well blended. Scrape filling into prepared crust.
10 min
- 8.
Bake tart, rotating halfway through, until filling is set around edges and center barely jiggles, 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in pan.
35 min
- 9.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop reserved 1/2 cup hazelnuts and cook in a small skillet over medium heat with remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp. water, stirring constantly, until sugar caramelizes and evenly coats hazelnuts. Transfer caramelized hazelnuts to a sheet of parchment paper and let cool completely. Coarsely chop. Scatter caramelized hazelnuts over tart and serve with whipped cream.
15 min
- 10.
Tart (without nuts) can be made 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Hazelnuts can be caramelized 2 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.