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Warm slice of homemade pie with whipped cream and cinnamon, served on a rustic plate.

PUMPKIN & HONEY CREME BRULEE TART

With its naturally sweet, vibrant flesh, acorn squash lends itself beautifully to pudding recipes. I’ve been searching for the right way to describe this creation, and I think it’s the perfect cross between a pumpkin pie and a crème brûlée, arguably the best combination ever. It’s the kind of dessert that feels both familiar and unexpectedly delightful.

Ingredients

  • 2 small acorn squash peeled, halved & seeds removed
  • neutral oil (vegetable, sunflower, groundnut etc.)
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 tsp soft brown sugar
  • 2 large egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp dark muscavado sugar
  • 200 g good-quality soft set honey
  • 440 ml double cream
  • caster sugar for sprinkling
  • salt

pastry

  • 150 g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp mixed spice
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 75 g unsalted butter cubed
  • 1 egg white for brushing

Instructions

  1. Start by making the pastry. Combine the flour, mixed spice, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and use your fingers to work it into the flour mixture, until you have something which resembles rough breadcrumbs. Add 1-2 tbsp of ice-cold water and knead everything together very briefly, being careful not to overwork it, until the mixture forms a dough. Gently mould into a disk shape, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170°c (fan-assisted)/375°f/gas 5.
  3. Once the dough has chilled, roll it into a circle about the thickness of a £1 coin and use it to line your tart tin, making sure the pastry is pushed right into the sides. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on top, then fill the case with baking beans (or dry lentils/rice). Blind bake for 20 minutes, then remove the paper and beans, brush the pastry all over with egg white, and cook for a further 10-12 minutes, or until the base is golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
  4. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°c (fan-assisted).
  5. Drizzle the acorn squash halves with a glug of oil in a baking dish. Sprinkle over the spices, soft light brown sugar and a pinch of salt, then use your hands to rub them all into the flesh of the squash. Set them cut side down, then roast for 30-40 minutes, or until soft all the way through and slightly golden on the edges. Let it cool, then blend into a very, very smooth paste (a nutri-bullet is perfect here - it gets it super smooth). You can add a tiny bit of water to help if along, if you need to.
  6. Reduce the oven temperature to 140°c (fan-assisted).
  7. Beat together the egg yolk, muscovado sugar, honey, a pinch of salt and 100g of the acorn squash puree in a mixing bowl, until fully combined.
  8. Next, warm the cream in a medium saucepan set over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is just about to boil. As soon as you see the first bubbles appear around the edge of the pan, remove it from the heat and pour it *very* slowly into the egg yolk mixture, whisking ferociously as you do.
  9. Pour into the tart case, via a small sieve, then bake for 30-40 minutes, or until wobbling in the middle, but very slightly set on the edges (it will set up as it cools!). Let it cool completely.
  10. Sprinkle the top of the tart with caster sugar, then use a blow torch to caramelise it. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes, then chop into slices and serve at room temperature. Serve with creme fraiche to balance its sweetness.