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Santa Barbara, CA, United States
I enjoy creating original wine-pairing recipes that are healthful and delicious. I work for Touring & Tasting a Santa Barbara based wine club and national magazine as Food Editor. However, I am not paid for this blog and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I received my Personal Chef Skills Competency Award from the SBCC's School Of Culinary Arts. In 2012, I started Inside Wine - Santa Barbara with pal Lila Brown which features wine tastings with winery owners and winemakers. I also serve on the Board of the Santa Barbara Culinary Arts group, which had Julia Child as one of the founding members and funds scholarships for SBCC culinary students in her name.

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Thursday, August 23, 2012

Delish Pumpkin Pie Tart With Crunchy Topping

One of the fun parts of my job as Food Editor for Touring and Tasting is preparing and photographs sent to me from wineries, to be posted on the Touring and Tasting wine pairing recipe section. I've particularly enjoyed preparing the recipes from Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyards--producer of sparkling wines in Carneros. Their fragrant and savory Gloria Ferrer Beggars Purses: Mushrooms Baked in Parchment and juicy Oysters with Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blancs Mignonette are favorites, as are the baked goods from Apple Farm Inn.

I made the Apple Farm Inn Sweet Potato Pie Bars and decided to make it again with a twist--using their recipe for an extra-yummy brown sugar crust. I used pumpkin instead of sweet potato and coconut milk instead of condensed milk in my usual pumpkin filling. I had a few recipes online for pumpkin pie using coconut milk and was encouraged by the observations that the coconut milk makes the texture lighter, without a noticeable coconut taste. The results were divine. One warning--the crust is very buttery, so the dessert is very rich.

Pumpkin Pie Tart With Crunchy Nut Topping:

Ingredients For the Filling:
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 can (12 ounces) pumpkin
3 eggs
about 2/3 can (10 ounces) of coconut milk


Ingredients For Buttering the Tart Pan:
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons flour
parchment paper

 Ingredients For the Crust (from Apple Farm Inn recipe):
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 sticks (3/4 pound) salted butter, cut up
1 cup chopped walnuts, added last for the topping




Directions For the Filling:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a baking sheet in the oven.

In a mixing bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together, then add the pumpking and mix until uniform. Add the sugar mixture and coconut milk and mix well.

Directions For Buttering the Tart Pan:
Mix the melted butter with the flour and brush it on the inside of the tart pan, including the sides. Cut a sheet of parchment to fit the inside of the tart pan, so it extends 1/4 inch up the sides. Brush the parchment paper with the butter/flour mixture.

Directions For the Crust:
Combine flour, salt, both sugars, and cinnamon in large mixing bowl.  Add the cold butter and mix until crumbly.  Set aside 1 heaping cup of the mixture. Dump the rest into the sheet pan and press evenly into the bottom.

Direction To Assemble the Tart:
Pour the pumpkin filling into the crust-filled tart pan. Mix the reserved flour mixture with the walnuts and sprinkle over the top. Bake 30-45 minutes, until the crust is brown and the pumpkin is cooked through. Test by inserting a tootpick, if it comes out clean, it is ready. Let sit for five minutes, then serve with a glass of milk. Yum!


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