PUMPKIN PIE

Not really a pie, more a tart. We like to use jap pumpkin for this recipe, but any pumpkin will do fine. We roast the pumpkin in the oven with soft brown sugar until it caramelises, then combine it with home-made custard. Even when we make it in our large bakery kitchen, pumpkin pie has a homemade feel. It’s perfect for a sophisticated Halloween treat, or to warm you up on a cold winter’s night.

Makes one 22 cm (8½ inch) tart

1 quantity Sweet shortcrust pastry

FILLING

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) pumpkin (to yield 350 g/12 oz cooked pumpkin), peeled and cut into 3 cm (1¼ inch) pieces

50 g (1¾ oz) soft brown sugar

250 g (9 oz/1 cup) sour cream

5 eggs

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg

175 ml (6 fl oz) maple syrup

To make the filling, start by roasting the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Place the pumpkin on a large piece of foil and sprinkle with the sugar. Wrap the pumpkin in the foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (300°F).

Roll the pastry out to 4 mm (³/₁₆ inch) thick and cut it into a 25 cm (10 inch) disc. Use it to line a 22 cm (8½ inch) tart tin, following the instructions here, then rest in the freezer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, knead the excess dough back together and roll it out again to get a few smaller discs to keep in the freezer.

Blind-bake the pastry case for 30–35 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Put the roasted pumpkin and remaining filling ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Spoon the filling into the cooled blind-baked tart shell and bake for 40 minutes, or until the filling is just set.

This pie will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.