Maple Pumpkin Custard Tart

I am not sure when did pumpkins became one of the symbolic representatives of bountiful harvest together with turkey, corn, cranberry, etc. but every year, starting from October, we see pumpkins everywhere. Scary faces carved into pumpkins for Halloween in October, pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving in November and also for Christmas in some parts of the world.

I don't think pumpkins are the dominant vegetable harvested in autumn, pretty darn certain that a whole load of other crops mature the same season. I'm leaning towards the whole "storing food for winter", "before the lands become fertile again" thing. Pumpkins can last up to 3 months if properly stored and not to mention that almost every part of the pumpkin can be eaten! It only makes sense (to me) that pumpkins became popular with the folks of yonder years due to its pragmatism. Then again, this is just my deduction, I'll just leave the guessing and explaining to the anthropologists.

I am not sure since when pumpkin pies became a traditional dish for Thanksgiving (and Christmas in some places). Even though I tried to create a lighter pumpkin cake with my "Japanese" Pumpkin Cake, some traditions are meant to be followed (yes, sometimes blindly, when it's a good tradition =P). Since I still have the maple pumpkin custard recipe I "created" last year by merely following the basic custard ratio and armed with one of Gordon Ramsay's recipe, yes I'm ready to go make myself a Maple Pumpkin Custard tart. LOL!

Maple Pumpkin Custard Tart (2 x 8" tarts)

A batch of Sweet Crust Pastry

For Custard: 
Mixture A 
      3       Eggs
      4g     Vanilla Extract
    20g     Brown Sugar
      1g     Salt
Optional
      1g     Ground Cinnamon
     0.5g   Ground Ginger
     0.5g   Ground Nutmeg

Mixture B
  400g     Pumpkin Purée
    60g     Maple Syrup
  180g     Heavy Cream
  180g     Milk

Preheat oven to 150ºC
1. Whisk together (B) over LOW heat, taking care not to boil the mixture. Make sure there are no visible lumps and remove from heat after about 5mins.

2. Whizz together (A) in a food processor and slowly add (B) into (A) while the food processor is operating. Do not add too fast or too much at all time else the eggs might get cooked. To ensure a smooth consistency, pass the combined mixture through a sieve.

3. Slowly pour the custard mixture into the pie shells (or ramekins), try to fill as much as you can. Bake for 30-45mins on the middle rack till the custard is set but the center is slightly jiggly when rotated. If using ramekins, bake in a water bath for about the same time till the custard is set but center is jiggly.

4. Let cool completely before refrigerating for 2-3 hours (best if overnight).

Sadly, spiced desserts are still slightly challenging for Singaporeans to accept. So until they find a place on Singaporeans' taste buds, I would advise omitting the spices altogether. The above custard recipe yields a denser custard, if you are after a "lighter"and silkier texture, you may decrease the pumpkin purée to 300g and increase to 4 eggs. And by all means, you are welcome to adjust the sugars to your tolerance level although I might suggest not altering much of the Maple syrup, if not defeats the purpose of the dessert's name.

When serving, you may serve it chilled, warm or at room temperature. You may dust some confectioner's sugar over the top, or some ground cinnamon/nutmeg if you like heavily spiced desserts. For an expensive and delicate feel, you may even want to "brûlé" your tart by spreading a layer of sugar on top and caramelizing them with a culinary blow torch. Or my favourite way and genuinely thinks it should be everyone's favourite way, is to simply serve up with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped Crème Chantilly, garnished with some pecans or walnuts for textural contrast. Happy Thanksgiving!

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