Pumpkin Meringue Tart

By yollymg

Pie can be prepared through Step 3 two days ahead and refrigrated. Bring to room temperature and blot surface dry with paper towel before topping with meringue.

Ingredients

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Preparation

Step 1

TART SHELL:
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp each cold unsalted butter
3 Tbsp solid vegetable shortening, cut in bits
1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp cold water

FILLING:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp molasses
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 can (15 OZ)100% pure pumpkin
1 cup heavy cream


PREPARA TION:
1. Tart Shell: Lightly butter a 9 x 1-in. tart pan with removable bottom. In food processor, pulse flour, confectioners' sugar and salt to mix. Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Pour egg mixture over crumbs; pulse until dough starts to clump together. Remove dough from food processor and squeeze together in a ball.

Press dough evenly over bottom and up sides of pan, slightly extending about 1/4 in. above the top edge of pan. Freeze shell 30 minutes.

MERINGUE:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
4 large egg whites


2. Adjust oven rack to bottom third of the oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove crust from freezer; line with nonstick foil tightly against bottom, sides and top edge of crust. Place tart pan on baking sheet; bake 25 minutes. Carefully remove foil; return crust to oven 5 minutes (if crust puffs, gently press it down).

Cool completely on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

3. FILLING:
Whisk ingredients until blended and smooth; pour into crust. Cover crust edge with foil or pie shields. Bake 50 minutes or until filling is set and crust is golden. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

4. MERINGUE:
In a small, heavy saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil; stir just until sugar dissolves. Boil, without stirring, 4 minutes. Meanwhile, in large bowl of stand mixer, beat egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form. Beating constantly, slowly add hot mixture to whites in a thin, steady stream. When incorporated, increase speed to high and beat meringue until stiff glossy peaks form.

5. Heat oven to 425°F. Remove sides of tart pan and place tart on a baking sheet. Loosen bottom of
tart pan from crust with an offset spatula; leave pan bottom in place. Starting at edge of crust, spread
some meringue over filling, sealing it against the inside edge of the crust and mounding meringue
high in center; make decorative swirls in meringue. Bake 5 minutes or until swirls and tips are lightly
browned. Let cool. If desired, slide tart off pan bottom onto serving plate.