Bourbon Pumpkin Tart With Walnut Streusel

Made this for Thanksgiving 2005. Excellent recipe! The fact that this is a tart recipe takes away the stress of making a perfect pie crust, since tart pastry is much more forgiving. We also LOVED LOVED LOVED the streusel on top of this! Excellent!!! From Fine Cooking magazine. (PS: Note that this tart is much better if it sits overnight.)

• Ready In: 24 hrs 35 mins
• Serves: 8-10
• Yields: 1 10-inch tart

Ingredients

• For the tart crust

• 9  ounces unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
• 1  teaspoon  finely grated orange zest
• 1⁄2 teaspoon table salt
• 5 1⁄2 ounces  cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1  large egg, lightly beaten
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream, more if needed

• For the pumpkin filling

•  pure solid-pack pumpkin
• 3  large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 2  tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon table salt
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄4 cup Bourbon

• For the streusel topping

• 3 1⁄2 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄3 cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon table salt
• 1⁄4 lb  cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3⁄4 cup walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped crystallized ginger

Directions

1. Make the tart crust: Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, orange zest and salt in a large bowl on low speed for about 30 seconds.
2. Add the butter and combine on low speed until the mixture looks crumbly, with pieces of butter about the size of dried peas, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and cream, mixing on low speed, until the dough is just combined.
3. If the dough is too dry to come together, add more cream a tablespoon at a time.
4. Gently mold the dough into a 1-inch-thick disk and wrap in plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to a week; the dough can also be frozen for up to a month.
6. Make the filling:
7. Spoon the pumpkin into a large bowl.
8. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Add both sugars, the flour, spices and salt. Whisk about 30 seconds. Whisk in the cream and bourbon. Set aside.
9. Make the topping:
10. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse briefly to mix.
11. Add the butter and pulse until the butter has blended into the dry ingredients and the mixture is crumbly. Remove the blade and stir in the walnuts and crystallized ginger.
12. Assemble the tart:
13. Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees F.
14. Take the tart dough from the refrigerator and let it warm up until pliable, 5 to 10 minutes.
15. Unwrap the dough and set it on a lightly floured work surface. With as few passes of the rolling pin as possible, roll the disk into a 13-inch round, about 3/16-inch thick. Drape the round into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, gently fitting it into the contours of the pan. Fold the excess dough into the sides of the pan and press to create an edge that's flush with the top of the pan and about 1/2-inch thick.
16. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the unbaked tart crust.
17. Scatter the streusel mixture evenly over the unbaked pumpkin filling.
18. Bake until the topping is evenly cooked and no longer looks wet in the center, 50-65 minutes.
19. Let the tart cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before serving, or, after it cools, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight; before serving, let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
20. Serve warm, at room temperature, or slightly chilled, with lightly sweetened whipped cream if you like.