Make a Pumpkin Tart with Nutty Streusel

We Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October, and it’s almost that time of year again! I’m starting to gather my favourite Thanksgiving recipes together so that I’m ready to make our traditional meal which always includes turkey, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and – of course – a delicious pumpkin pie. This year, I thought it would be fun to put a unique spin on our traditional pumpkin pie. I have strong German roots, and we seem to put a crumb topping (or “struesel“) on almost everything. Streusel adds such a great flavour and crunch to so many desserts! What could be better than topping some pumpkin pie with a crumbly pecan topping? I couldn’t think of anything more delicious for a Fall dessert! Let me show you how to make this tasty pumpkin pie with nutty streusel. I think it will be our new family Thanksgiving fave!

Thanksgiving up in Canada is celebrated a little differently from our American friends. Not only do we celebrate our holiday in October rather than November, our focus is a bit simpler – we’re here for the friends, the family and the good food.

A recent survey conducted by Carnation® revealed that 52% of Canadians feel that Thanksgiving isn’t complete until a pumpkin pie is on the table. In addition to this, 67% say that for pumpkin pie to be delicious, it needs to be rich and creamy.

Thanks to Carnation® Evaporated Milk, this pumpkin tart with nutty streusel recipe that I concocted has a creamy & decadent pumpkin pie taste. I’ve put my own twist on Carnation’s Classic Pumpkin Pie recipe by using a thin and sweet tart pastry base and a crunchy and flavourful crumb topping.

One of the things I love about Carnation® Evaporated Milk is that you can keep it in your pantry year-round! It’s a fabulous alternative to cream to make your desserts (or even savoury dishes like Creamy Butternut Squash Soup) taste so rich and creamy.

You can find the always-so-delicious Carnation® Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe here on CarnationMilk.ca, or keep reading to learn how to make my interesting spin on this yummy dessert!

To make this pumpkin tart with nutty streusel, you’ll first need to prepare the tart crust. I experimented with a couple of different sweet shortcrust recipes and techniques until I finally found the perfect ingredients and method for my shortcrust pastry.

To make this sweet shortcrust, mix together 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of icing sugar and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon into a medium sized bowl. Then, cut 1 cup of cold butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.

Add two eggs and 1 tbsp of milk into the pastry mixture, and work the dough together with your hands quickly until it forms a ball. Handle it as little as you can to keep the pastry from getting too chewy. Wrap the pastry in some plastic wrap, and chill it in your fridge for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin filling and the streusel topping.

To make the filling, mix together 1 cup of brown sugar with 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Crack 3 eggs into the bowl and add 1 1/2 cups of canned pumpkin puree. Stir in 1 can of Carnation® Evaporated Milk and blend everything well.

To make the nutty streusel topping, mix together 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup crushed pecans and 1/4 cup brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup cold butter with a pastry cutter, and then continue to crumble the butter into the mixture with your hands until you reach a crumbly consistency.

To bake the tart shells, cut the chilled dough in half. Roll out each half into a circle, and place it gently over a greased tart pan. Press the dough into the tart pan, and cut off the excess. Prick the bottom of the crust several times with a fork. Place some commercial grade plastic wrap or parchment paper over the dough, pour some rice or pie weights over that, and then cover the rice or pie weights with the extra plastic wrap or parchment paper. This is a really important step that will keep your pastry from puffing up and shrinking down the sides of your tart pans! Pop your tart pans in the oven, and bake the tart shells at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Once your tart shells are baked and slightly cooled, pour the prepared pumpkin pie filling into the tart shells. Top the tart with the prepared streusel topping. Sprinkle some extra crushed pecans onto the streusel if desired. Bake the tarts at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes, and then turn the oven down to 375 degrees F and bake for another 35 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each tart comes out clean.

Once out of the oven, let your tarts cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting.

Serve with fresh whipped cream and enjoy!

Here’s the printable recipe for my Pumpkin Tart with Nutty Streusel:

If you make a pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving, we’d love to see it! Use the hashtag #CarnationPumpkinPie to share your creation on social media.

Now it’s time to win a prize pack to make your own pie this Thanksgiving!

This prize pack features must have tools and ingredients to help create the perfect Pumpkin Pie. Valued at $150 it includes: the Carnation® Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe, Carnation® Evaporated Milk, a premium pie dish and rolling pin, a pastry prep board, a red pie server and a silicone piecrust shield. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win. Good luck!

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Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Carnation. As always, all of the ideas and opinions here are my own. I only recommend companies that I use and love myself.