Chocolate Pumpkin Tart

I love cooking with pumpkin but I can say that pumpkin pie is not very near the top of my list when it comes to favorite desserts. I have a token bite of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving to honor the pilgrims but I'd rather eat something else. I also don't love pie crust - I'll eat any graham cracker or cookie crust but rarely the pastry dough type. In the past I have wondered if anyone has ever made a pumpkin pie with a gingersnap crust or something along those lines. I found the answer in my first edition of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine - just signed up for a subscription.



I have to say, there wasn't a ton that caught my eye in that edition EXCEPT for the Chocolate-Pumpkin Tart. It has a chocolate cookie crust and you keep it from getting soggy by covering the crust with a layer of melted chocolate. Oh my. Oh my. It was incredible. I plan on having this little delicacy grace my Thanksgiving table from here on out. It is that good - it's almost like eating a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie in pie form. I think I need a piece right now.


Chocolate Pumpkin Tart

20 chocolate wafer cookies
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cups cooled Sugar-Pumpkin Puree or canned pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse cookies and sugar until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until crumbs are moistened. Using the bottom of a dry measuring cup, press crumbs into bottom (but not sides) of a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until set, about 12 minutes.
Pour chocolate onto warm crust; spread with a spatula. Freeze until chocolate is firm, about 5 minutes. Brush sides of tart pan with butter; set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin, egg, cream, sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin-pie spice, and salt. Pour filling into prepared crust; bake on a rimmed baking sheet until set, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 1 hour at room temperature; refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 1 day).
Unmold tart (if sides stick, gently loosen with a knife). With two thin metal spatulas, transfer to a platter.

Notes: the above directions are Martha's - I will add that it is OK to use salted butter, light or dark brown sugar is fine, Oreos work just as well as chocolate wafers (I used 15 and scraped out the creme in the middle), you don't have to use a tart pan or a 9" - I used a 10" springform pan and it was great. And who has "pure maple syrup" unless you've just been to Vermont or something? Use whatever you have except for butter flavored. Enjoy!