Everyone in my family loves pumpkin except me, so making a Thanksgiving dessert with pumpkin is quite a challenge. However, even I like this recipe, which has some similarities to a pumpkin butter tart. It is sweet, spicy and looks so attractive that I devour pieces along with everyone else.
Use canned pumpkin for ease of access (although it is often really squash). Make sure you don't buy pumpkin pie filling.
Making squares is easier than making pies. The pastry is patted out and prebaked, then the is filling poured on; there's no worrying about rolling out pastry or shrinkage in the pan.
The easiest way to make free-form designs with melted chocolate is to dip the tines of a fork into the chocolate and wave over the baked squares.
Servings: Makes 12 to 16 squares.
Ready Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Base
1 cup flour
¼ cup icing sugar
½ cup (4 ounces or 125 grams)
unsalted butter, cold, cubed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 14-ounce (398-ml) can pumpkin purée
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice or nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup toasted pecans
¼ cup chopped chocolate, melted
Method
Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan, preferably metal, then line with parchment paper.
Mix together flour, icing sugar, butter and salt in a food processor or by hand until mixture just comes together and small clumps form. Do not let it form a ball. Pat into prepared baking pan and prick with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake base for 20 minutes or until pale gold.
Combine eggs, pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, whipping cream, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and salt in food processor and process until well combined.
Pour mixture over hot base and sprinkle with pecans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until centre springs back when touched. Cool.
Drizzle with melted chocolate. Chill and cut into squares.
Lucy Waverman