Pumpkin Mousse Tart recipe courtesy of Chef Doreen Fang
Ingredients
Crust
2 ¼ - 2 ½ cups* Ginger Snap crumbs (Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Snaps)
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled
Mousse
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon + ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
½ + 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup powdered sugar
Garnish (optional)
Ground Cinnamon
Pecan pralines - chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, combine the ginger snap crumbs and melted butter, mix until thoroughly combined and press the mixture evenly into a 9.5” tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, remove and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely. This can be made 2 days in advance; cover the entire tart shell still in its pan tightly with plastic wrap and store in a dry area until ready to use.
In a medium heavy saucepan on medium heat, add the sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly for approximately 10-12 minutes, the milk with darken slightly and will start boiling. Add the pumpkin puree, stir until combined. Add the pumpkin spice and salt, continue to stir, combining all the ingredients. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, the mixture will begin to bubble like thick polenta. Remove from the heat and put the mixture in a large mixing bowl and allow to cool. You can put the bowl in the fridge to chill faster. Make sure the mixture is completely cooled before adding the whipped cream.
As the mixture is cooling, using either a hand mixer or stand mixer, add the heavy cream and powdered sugar in the mixing bowl and whip until closer to stiff peaks. Remove 1/3 of the whipped cream and put in a separate air tight container, cover the bowl with the remaining whipped cream and put both in the refrigerator. Once the pumpkin mixture is completely cooled, remove from the refrigerator, stir the mixture to loosen it up if it has solidified too much. Take the 2/3 whipped cream out; using a silicon spatula, get a spatula full of whipped cream and gently fold it into the pumpkin mixture, continue to add more whipped cream and fold until all the whipped cream and pumpkin mixture is completely combined. You can make and store the mousse in an airtight container in the refrigerator 2 days prior to serving.
Assembly
Get your tart crust, add the pumpkin mousse and spread to the edges; the filling will be quite high and have a rustic look. If you are assembling the tart on the same day that you are cooking this, refrigerate and allow to mousse to set for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, add the remaining whipped cream on top and sprinkle with ground cinnamon and/or chopped pecan pralines. Remove the tart ring and place the tart on serving platter.
*Note: Depending on how thick you like your crust to be, use a little less if you don’t like it too thick or the full recipe to make a nice thick crust.
Wishing you and yours a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving celebration.