Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Tart

December 6, 2010

This year our Thanksgiving was pretty laid back.

We stayed home, just the four of us.

So even though I enjoy cooking for a crowd, it was nice to not have any of that pressure.

And because of that, I decided to take a few liberties with a couple of recipes.

The kitchen was just a little quieter, definitely less crowded, and a bit more relaxed.

pumpkin cranberry pecan tart

With the kids and Eric busy decorating the Christmas Tree and breaking out the decor for the next holiday to come around, I decided to experiment a bit.

I took my very favorite Pumpkin Pie with Caramel Pecan Topping and switched it up a bit.

At first I was just going to bake it as a tart instead of pie, but at the last minute I decided to add some fresh cranberries to the topping.

That was a smart move!

I increased the cinnamon and a couple other spices and added some cardamom too.

I like this pie (or tart) even better than before, which I didn’t think was possible.

cinnamon sticks, cranberries, and pumpkin pie

Eric and I both agreed that not only is this version even tastier, but it’s also beautifully festive.

As trite as it may sound, this tart was, in a word, perfection.

It barely lasted a full 24 hours in our home.

And nothing stopped me from eating a slice for breakfast the next day.

Served with a dollop of vanilla cinnamon whipped cream, I don’t know how it could get any better.

It’s simple to make the vanilla cinnamon whipped cream: I just made whipped cream like usual, adding some vanilla extract and a few dashes of cinnamon.

cranberry pecan pumpkin tart

Just because Thanksgiving is over doesn’t mean baking with pumpkin has to be over too!

This is certainly a pie I wouldn’t mind having another slice of before winter is over…and we have a ways before that happens.

What pumpkin recipes will you still be making even though Thanksgiving is over?

Do you have year-round favorites?

Don’t forget to head over to the Recipe Exchange: Chocolate Gingerbread post to vote for your favorite chocolate recipe. Didn’t get to submit a chocolate recipe last week? This Wednesday’s theme is also chocolate!

Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Tart

a goodLife{eats} creation
makes 1 - 11 inch tart

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Pie or Tart:
15 oz can pumpkin
3 slightly beaten eggs
1/3 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon tsp vanilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1 single pie or tart crust

For the Cranberry Pecan Topping:
4 ounces fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold butter

Directions:

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, zest, salt, and all of the spices (nutmeg through cardamom). In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, half-and-half or cream, and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and lightly beat by hand until well combined. Pour the pumpkin mixture into a pastry-lined tart plate. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the brown sugar, flour, and salt, and butter to a small food processor and chop until it resembles a coarse mixture. Stir in the chopped cranberries and pecans.

Remove tart from the oven and sprinkle the cranberry mixture on top. Return the tart to the oven and bake for 10-20 minutes, or until the tart is set, topping is golden and bubbly, and the crust is golden.

Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.

TIP: It's easier to remove the first slice of pie from the plate if you cut the first piece and then cut the second before removing the first.

Dessert, Fall Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Pies and Tarts, Seasonal Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes, Winter Recipes
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