Today is a very special day for two reasons: 1. Jorge and I are celebrating our seven year Anniversary!! 2. It's also the fourth annual Virtual Pumpkin Party and I'm bringing this spiced pumpkin tart with hazelnut crust and toasted marshmallow topping to the table.
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First, let's talk tart. The base of this recipe is a buttery, crumbly crust flecked with crunchy bits of toasted hazelnuts. It pairs surprisingly well with the luscious pumpkin filling contained within. Spiced with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, this pumpkin custard is fairly traditional; however, I do add a splash of bourbon for some depth of flavor. The tart is finished with a layer of halved marshmallows that gets toasted under a hot broiler. They're crispy on top and melty and gooey underneath. The combination of golden hazelnut, spiced pumpkin and toasted marshmallow is warm, comforting and so damn delicious. I like to call this type of dessert rustic fabulous. It's fun and special, but not fussy and difficult to make.
Sara from Cake Over Steak has hosted the Virtual Pumpkin Party for four years in a row, and it's my favorite blogger bash of the year. In 2018, about 60 bloggers have gotten together to share a creative mix of pumpkin recipes both sweet and savory. A big thanks to Sara for hosting and organizing this party!! Continue reading below for my pumpkin tart recipe along with some of my favorite picks from this year's Virtual Pumpkin Party.
The ingredients here are pretty straight forward, but I do want to mention:
- This tart is prepared in a 4 x 14 rectangular tart pan, so the quantities are slightly paired down compared to a traditional pumpkin pie recipe.
- I recently discovered that my local grocery store (Ralphs) carries canned organic pumpkin, and it's delicious!! There seems to be a lot more pumpkin products available now, so definitely take a look to see if there's something better than the classic brands.
- I am able to purchase hazelnuts without their skins, and I love them. They're a lot easier to work with. If you can only find hazelnuts with the skins on, then check out instructions here on how to remove hazelnuts skins. And if you can't find hazelnuts at all, try pecans instead!
- If you live in San Diego, head over to Specialty Product and check out their pumpkin patch. That's where I got all these beautiful pumpkins and gourds!
Let's talk about this hazelnut crust for a moment. I just love hazelnuts. They're rich and grassy, and when toasted, give off an intoxicating aroma filled with golden warmth.
The flavor of toasted hazelnut pairs well with a lot more than just pumpkin. You can use this hazelnut crust as the base for a fruit tart filled with vanilla cream, or a chocolate tart drizzled with salted caramel. Try it as the crust for a maple pie, sweet potato pie or even, a pecan pie (and put hazelnuts on top instead). It's really versatile!
The texture of this hazelnut crust is definitely on the crumbly side (not flaky), and it couldn't be easier to prepare. Simply combine flour, toasted hazelnuts, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Then you pulse in cold butter and water. The finished crust will have a crumbly texture, but will hold together if pinched. From there, just press the crust into an ungreased tart pan, and let chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. At this point it's ready to bake!
Making this Pumpkin & Hazelnut Tart with Toasted Marshmallow isn't too complicated; however, there are a few periods of resting and cooling required, so make sure you plan your time accordingly. Here's a little breakdown
- Prepare the crust, press it into the tart pan, and let chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Pre bake the crust and let cool for 15 minutes.
- Fill the crust and bake for 30 - 35 minutes.
- Let tart cool completely (about 2 hours).
- Top tart with marshmallows and toast them under the broiler.
- Serve and enjoy!
Similar to a pumpkin pie, this tart really does need to cool completely before serving. This cooling period allows the custard to fully set up, so when you cut into it, it will keep it's shape. You can make the crust one day in advance, and keep chilled in the refrigerator. Prepare the tart the day you are going to serve it. Try to toast the marshmallows just before serving for the best texture.
Throughout the week, I'll be checking out the other Virtual Pumpkin Party dishes and sharing my favorites here:
- Pumpkin Protein Waffles from Cake Over Steak
- Pumpkin Honey Ale Pie by 27th and Olive
- Paleo Pumpkin Muffins by Foolproof Living
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting by Snixy Kitchen
- Pumpkin Ganache Cupcakes by Hungry Girl Por Vida
- Pumpkin Goat Cheese Risotto by Food with Feeling
- Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by The Pig and Quill
- Pumpkin Cheddar Cheese Ball by Vegetarian Ventures
- Pumpkin Quesadillas by Rhubarbarians
- Pumpkin Butter Thumbprint Cookies by Floating Kitchen
- Pumpkin Spice Ruffled Milk Pie by Ful-Filled
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars by Katherine in Brooklyn
Pumpkin & Hazelnut Tart with Toasted Marshmallow
Ingredients
For the crust:
- ¾ cups skinless hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ⅓ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon good quality bourbon
- 27 - 30 halves big marshmallows
Instructions
- Start by making the crust. Place hazelnuts, flour, sugar and sea salt into a food processor and pulse until the texture resembles a coarse meal. Add butter and pulse a few times until the butter is the size of peas. Add water and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. It will look crumbly, but should hold together when pinched. Add a little more water if needed.
- Transfer the dough to an ungreased 4 x 14 tart pan with removable bottom, pressing the dough evenly into the sides and bottom of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or up to 1 day).
- Preheat an oven to 350°F and set an oven rack to the middle position. Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until the crust is lightly golden (20 - 25 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin filling. To a large bowl, add pumpkin puree, brown sugar, white sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt, stirring to combine. Add the egg, egg yolk, cream, vanilla and bourbon, and stir until smooth. Place the tart pan back on a rimmed baking sheet, then pour the filling into the cooled tart crust just to the top of the crust. Not all of the filling will fit in the crust - you'll have just a smidge leftover.
- Bake tart until the filling is just set (30 to 35 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely (about 2 hours).
- Just before serving, top the pumpkin tart with an even layer of marshmallow halves. The cut side down and the rounded side up. You should be able to fit 9 or 10 rows of 3. Place the tart under a hot, preheated broiler just until the marshmallows turn golden brown. Keep an eye on this as the marshmallows can burn quickly, and move the pan around as needed to ensure even toasting.
Here are the other recipes I've brought to the Virtual Pumpkin Party:
Pumpkin, Olive Oil and Dark Chocolate Cake
Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi with Rosemary Brown Butter Sauce
Yeasted Pumpkin Waffles with Candied Ginger
I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!
Laura @ Sweet Crusader says
This tart looks amazing. I have that same rectangular tart pan; isn't it fun to use? Btw happy anniversary!!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Laura!! I actually don't use it that much, but I thought it would be fun here with the toasted marshmallows. I need to use it more often!
Cindy @ The Sweet Nerd says
The marshmallow topper looks so good! My boys would die over this dessert. I love the mixing of tart and marshmallow textures - original!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks so much Cindy!!
Emily says
Marshmallows make everything better! This reminds me of Sweet Potato Souffle (in The Very Best Way). That crust looks so tasty, too!
Brandon Matzek says
Haha they do! And I love the flavor of toasted marshmallow. Thanks Emily!
Kelsey @ Appeasing a Food Geek says
Happy Anniversary! But also OMG this tart is out of this world. I am loving that flavor combo. Will be making this one! Great to join the #virtualpumpkinparty with you! xo
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Kelsey!! Let me know how you like the tart if you make it. Happy VPP!
Aysegul Sanford says
WOW such an incredibly delicious tart recipe. Pinning to make it in November for all the festivities coming up.
And also BIG congrats on your anniversary. Wishing you many happy, healthy, and prosperous years to come.
Cheers!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks so much Aysegul!!
Stacy says
How amazing does this look!!!! And all your past Pumpkin Party contributions!! Drool! I'm coming to visit!!! 🙂 🙂 Also, My husband and I celebrated our 7 year anniversary yesterday!!! WHAT??!! Same day!!
Brandon Matzek says
Omg, that's amazing!! Such crazy timing. Well Happy Anniversary to you and the hubbie 🙂
averie @ averie cooks says
Happy Anniversary! And this tart is beautiful. Those marshmallows are toasted to perfffectionnn!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks so much Averie :)!!
Sara @ Cake Over Steak says
OMG Happy Anniversary!! This tart is gorgeous and I can't believe I hadn't though of combining pumpkin and hazelnut before. That sounds soooo good. Thanks for participating again this year! xoxo
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Sara :D!! I usually pair pecans with pumpkin, but I thought I'd try something new. It's a tasty combination.
Emily says
This looks so yummy! I am going to have to try to make an awesome gluten free version of this! Have you tried toasting homemade marshmallows with this before?
Happy Anniversary!!!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Emily!! I haven't made this with homemade marshmallow, but I'm sure it would be delicious.
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
congrats on 7 years!!! and i love that there's toasted marshmallow on top and not meringue - easier and tastier imo.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Heather!!
mimi rippee says
This is really lovely! You're very talented!
Brooke Barone says
Hi! Hoping to try this for thanksgiving and can’t make it same day. I was going to try making it ahead and freeze until the day before (which would work for a pumpkin pie and would work for a tart crust) then just using a torch to toast the marshmallows on top before serving room temp. Any thoughts on this? Ie there something I’m missing about the filling that doesn’t lend itself to freezing? Thank you!