They say that pumpkin pie is one of the scents that men react to most strongly. I’m not sure if I agree, but I think that by combining a smooth pumpkin filling with a chocolate crust, you have a good chance of getting your guests’ attention. I roast the pumpkin in the oven to ensure the filling isn’t watery. It’s really not possible to overcook the pumpkin; in fact, the longer you cook it, the more the flavors become concentrated. If you can’t find a sugar pumpkin, butternut squash or another hard-skinned fall squash would make a fine substitute. You can roast the pumpkin and bake the crusts at the same time, speeding the process along.

　　

Ingredients

makes two 9-inch tarts

　　

Crust:

1/2 cup sugar

　　1 cup pistachios, toasted

　　4 tablespoons cocoa powder

　　1 cup all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

　　6 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　

Filling:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1 small sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and diced

　　4 tablespoons dark rum

　　7 fresh egg yolks

　　3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

　　3/4 cup crème fraîche

　　1/4 cup maple syrup

　　1/4 cup all-purpose flour

　　2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

　　2 teaspoons ground ginger

　　1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

　　1 teaspoon ground allspice

　　1/4 teaspoon ground clove

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for roasting

　　2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

　　1 teaspoon lemon juice

　　1 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips

　　1 tablespoon corn syrup

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

　　

Step 2

To make the crust, place the sugar and pistachios in the bowl of a food processor and pulverize until the nuts are coarsely ground. Remove half the nuts and reserve, then continue to process the remaining nuts and sugar until the mixture is finely ground and sandy. Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and butter and pulse until combined. Add the reserved nuts back in and pulse two or three times. Divide the mixture, and pat into the bottom of two 9-inch tart pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until firm. Allow to cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.

　　

Step 4

To make the filling, melt the butter with a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over low heat, then toss with the diced pumpkin in a bowl. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until completely soft. Scrape the pumpkin mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool to at least room temperature; you can put the mixture in the fridge to hurry things along if you like. If you want the texture perfectly silky, pass through a tamis or other fine-mesh sieve. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the purée and whisk in the rum, egg yolks, brown sugar, crème fraîche, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, allspice, clove, salt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Reserve.

　　

Step 5

Decrease the oven temperature to 300°F.

　　

Step 6

Combine the chocolate and corn syrup in a double boiler and melt over medium heat. Divide the mixture in half, then spread over the cooled crusts, leaving a 1/2-inch border all the way around the edges to prevent the chocolate from burning.

　　

Step 7

Place the tart pans on baking sheets. Divide the pumpkin mixture in half, then pour over the chocolate on each tart and smooth the tops. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (rotate the baking sheets after 30 minutes), or until the centers are set.

　　Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen