Tarts, crumbles and press-in doughs make baking dessert easy.
Thanksgiving will be different this year as we rethink and reformat how to celebrate it. This holiday has always been about family and friends gathered together from near and far, but this year will see smaller gatherings, for sure, and instead of traveling distances, many of us will remain home.
Cooking has been a therapeutic cure for many during this pandemic, and having Thanksgiving on the horizon can lend some normalcy to our otherwise disrupted lives and the family traditions we hold dear. Maybe it’s making that “must have” green bean casserole or Aunt Trudy’s cranberry relish, or the hypnotic smells of roasting turkey that bring us comfort and closeness.
Truth be told, my favorite part of the holiday is not roasting a turkey or making cranberry sauce. Nope! Give me the desserts to make.
Desserts get the final applause on Thanksgiving, and many of us will likely enjoy some version of that American favorite: pumpkin pie. Making a pie can be a challenge for some who fret over achieving a buttery, flaky pie crust— perhaps seen as the true mark of culinary accomplishment.
Why not mix things up this year?
Other than the classic two-crusted pies, there are tarts and crumbles to consider, especially when a lot of the prep work can be done ahead of time.
The great thing about a crumble is that there isn’t any pastry dough to make or roll out. Instead, a quick topping of flour, butter and sugar is combined and liberally sprinkled over sturdy fall fruits like pears, apples and cranberries just before popping into the oven.
In the case of tarts, press-in doughs are the way to go. I use this technique for all sorts of fruit tarts as well as custard and cream-based tarts.
Cookie-crumb crusts are also clever and quick to make. Gingersnaps and plain butter cookies are perfect for this, as are thin vanilla or chocolate-wafer type cookies. Ground nuts combined with a little sugar and melted butter can also save the day as a pat-in crust.
The beauty of these choices is that they can be made ahead of time, leaving you to only add the fillings.
Thanksgiving is a holiday that cries out for families and friends to celebrate and reflect on all that we have, even in this year of a Thanksgiving interrupted. NHH
Pumpkin Custard Pie Serves 8
This is a fun way to serve a smooth, pumpkin custard pie, and it is easy enough for kids to make.
Gingersnap Crust
40–50 gingersnaps (enough to be 2 cups when crushed)
1 stick melted and slightly cooled butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Filling
2 large eggs
3/4 cup coarse white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 15-ounce can pumpkin-pie filling
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Grated zest of 2 oranges
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Use a food processor, blender or rolling pin to smash the gingersnaps into fine crumbs and place them in a bowl. Mix in the brown sugar. Add enough of the melted butter to gather the crumbs into a ball that holds together. Press the crumb mixture evenly into a 10-by-2-inch pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. For the filling, beat together the eggs, white sugar, salt and spices until the mixture is smooth. Add the pumpkin and beat well. Gradually add in the milk and cream. Blend in the orange zest.
3. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake for 40 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325ºF, and continue baking for 15–20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Cut into wedges to serve.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Dried Plum Tart Serves 6–8
This intensely flavored dried plum tart is so easy to make. The crust is made in minutes in a food processor before literally being dumped into a tart shell and patted into place with your hands. What makes this tart a winner is a balsamic-vinegar reduction added to the dried plums.
1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for flouring
1/2 cup coarse white sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into bits
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 18-ounce box pitted dried plums
4 cups balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Grated zest of 1 large orange
Recipe from “Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy”
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Mix 1½ cups of flour, ½ cup coarse white sugar and baking powder together.
Cut the butter into the mixture. Add the egg and vanilla, and form a dough. If the dough is too dry, add a few drops of cold water. Flour your hands and press 2/3 of the dough in the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart shell with a removable bottom. Crumble the rest of dough and set aside. Bake the crust unfilled for about 8 minutes. Cool, set aside.
2. Place the plums in a saucepan and cover with 2/3 cup of water. Bring to boil, lower the heat and cook until the plums soften. Drain them well. Transfer the plums to a food processor and pulse until a smooth paste is obtained. Transfer the paste to a bowl.
3. Pour the vinegar into a separate pan. Cook the vinegar uncovered, over medium heat, until it thickens and is reduced to about ½ cup; it will be thick. Cool for 10 minutes.
4. Add the balsamic reduction to the plums. Add the brown sugar, salt and zest. Combine well and transfer the filling to the cooled shell. Smooth the filling so it is even. Sprinkle the remaining dough evenly over the top and sprinkle 2 tablespoons coarse white sugar over the dough.
5. Lower the oven temperature to 375ºF. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top crust is nicely browned.
6. Cool on a wire rack. Remove the bottom of the tart pan and place the tart on serving dish. Cut tart into wedges to serve.
Lemon Curd Pie Serves 8
Refreshing lemon curd pie is a great do-ahead dessert and is especially welcome by anyone with a wheat sensitivity because the crust is made from almonds. Prepare the curd several days ahead and refrigerate. Make the almond pie crust ahead as well. Fill and chill the morning of the big feast.
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1 tablespoon grated lemon or lime zest
1 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits; plus 4 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 large eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
2 1/2 cups slivered almonds Sweetened whipped cream, or a dollop of whipped and sweetened mascarpone cheese, for serving
1. Combine the lemon juice, zest, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter (cut into bits) and ¼ teaspoon of salt in the top of a double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar no longer feels gritty in the bottom of the pan.
2. Slowly pour in the eggs, continually stirring with a spoon or whisk. Cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Transfer the curd to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or for several days.
3. Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse until they are finely ground. Add 4 tablespoons of butter, ¼ cup of sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Pulse until the mixture starts to come together to form a dough. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour
4. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. When ready to bake the crust, press the dough into a 9-inch pie pan, lining the entire pan with dough. Poke the dough in several places with a fork. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. Cool completely before filling.
5. When cool, spread the lemon curd in the crust and refrigerate for several hours before serving. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or a dollop of whipped and sweetened mascarpone cheese.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Pear Crumble in Sugar Crust Serves 8
This divine pear dessert with its crunchy topping goes together in minutes. The same recipe works with other fruits too—apples, figs, cranberries or a combination. Serve the crumble warm with a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream.
Sugar Cookie Crust
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
Filling
5 large ripe Anjou or Bosc pears peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons orange zest
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
Crumble Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold butter, grated or cut into small bits
1/2 cup brown sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. For the crust, in a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light. Beat in the flour, salt and milk until mixture is moist and comes together.
3. Press the dough into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, making sure to also press dough up the sides. Bake for eight minutes.
4. Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside while you make the filling.
5. Raise the oven to 425ºF.
6. For the filling, in a large bowl, mix the pear slices, zest, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and spread it into the crust.
7. For the topping, in a separate bowl, use a pastry blender or fork to combine the flour, butter and brown sugar until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top of the pears.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crumble topping is nicely browned.
9. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve warm.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
By Mary Ann Esposito | Photography by John W. Hession