Step By Step: Marbled Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Gingersnap Tart

STEP BY STEP: Marbled Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Gingersnap Tart

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENÉE KOHLMAN

hanksgiving is just around the corner and I can’t wait. The food is always fantastic, the T weather is still decent, and there’s this beautiful amber light shimmering down. Plus there is very little drama like there is at Christmas - all you have to do is be thankful. That’s pretty easy.

Preparing and sharing food with loved ones is one of life’s most simple pleasures. While everyone is tucking into their plates, I take a good look around at all of the lovely, gravy-stained faces, happy and thankful that I am where I am, and with who I’m with.

Pumpkin pie seems to be the dessert of choice around Thanksgiving, and I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’m not a fan of the stuff. I mean, I’ll eat it if offered a slice, but overall I just find pumpkin pie a little underwhelming. Weird thing is I love pumpkin and all of the delicious spices it parties with so well.

Pumpkin cheesecake is fabulous, but time consuming and a heavy hitter in the calories department. For something lighter and easier, I combined the best parts of pumpkin pie and cheesecake into a very pretty and delicious marbled tart. For the base, I used my food processor to grind up some store-bought ginger cookies. You can make your own and grind them up, but I like to use a good shortcut when I see one. I mixed these crumbs with good ol’ graham cracker crumbs. I find the two balance each other out well, but you could use all of one or the other. If you do use just plain graham, be sure to add some of those warm spices such as ginger, cinnamon and cloves to the mix.

Once you have your crust completed, work on the fillings, which are pretty straightforward. I use canned pumpkin purée because it’s nice and thick and has such a reliable consistency. If you’re using homemade pumpkin purée be sure it is thick, and not too watery otherwise the quality of the tart will be compromised.

I’m a huge fan of marbling cream cheese into baked goods, and the appearance of this tart when it comes out of the oven is so pleasing to the eye! The hardest part is waiting for it to cool down before cutting into it.

You have two options when it comes to serving. Room temperature is fine, or you can refrigerate it and serve the tart cold, which is my preference. Thick and rich, but not overly heavy or sweet, this simple tart ticks all of those Thanksgiving dessert boxes. If there are any leftovers, a slice makes a dandy breakfast along with hot coffee. Be sure to have the recipe handy as I know you’ll get requests from your guests. Marbled Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Gingersnap Tart

Serves 8-10

Crust:

1¼ cups gingersnap cookie crumbs 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 5 Tbs (75 mL) melted butter

Cheesecake Batter:

170 g cream cheese, softened ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 large egg

Pumpkin Batter:

2 large eggs 1¾ cups (425 mL) canned pumpkin purée 1/3 cup packed brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp ground cardamom 1¼ cups (310 mL) whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 425º F.

1. In a large bowl, combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs, graham cracker crumbs, and melted butter. The mixture should hold together when you squeeze it with your hands. If it doesn’t, add a small splash of water. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the side of a 25 cm tart pan with a removable bottom. I like to use the bottom and sides of a measuring cup for this step. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. 2. Make the cheesecake batter: In the bowl of a small food processor, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and egg. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides. 3. Make the pumpkin batter: In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk in the pumpkin purée, sugars, spices, and salt. Gradually whisk in the whipping cream. 4. Pour the pumpkin batter into the prepared crust. The pan will be full. Using a soup spoon, dollop the cheesecake batter over the top. Use a sharp knife to marble the two together in a decorative manner. Try not to pierce the crust. 5. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350º F and bake for another 30-40 minutes, or until the filing is set and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. 6. Cool the tart completely on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature, or if like me, cold from the refrigerator. Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days, though the crust will soften.

Renée Kohlman is a busy food writer and recipe developer living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her debut cookbook All the Sweet Things was published last year.