Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Honey Swiss Meringue

Pumpkin and cheesecake come together in this fall-inspired tart. Begin with a toasted pecan crust, layer with cream cheese and a classic pumpkin filling, and then gild the lily with a creamy meringue.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart with Honey Swiss Meringue
Photo: Jody Horton
Hands On Time:
45 mins
Total Time:
13 hrs 10 mins
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Tart Crust

  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

  • 7 tablespoons butter, softened

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Layer

  • 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 teaspoon loosely packed orange zest

Pumpkin Layer

  • 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt

Honey Swiss Meringue

  • 2/3 cup clover honey

  • 4 large egg whites

  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt

Directions

  1. Prepare Tart Crust: Process pecans in a food processor 10 to 12 seconds or until finely ground.

  2. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 minute or until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt. Add egg, beating just until blended; stir in vanilla. Stir together flour and processed pecans; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until mixture is no longer crumbly and forms a ball, pulling away from sides of bowl. Press dough on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch deep-dish tart pan with a removable bottom. Chill 1 hour or until firm.

  3. Preheat oven to 350°. Line crust with aluminum foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes. Remove weights and foil; bake 12 to 14 more minutes or until crust is light brown. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes). Increase temperature to 425°.

  4. Prepare Cream Cheese Layer: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and egg at low speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in orange zest. Spread over bottom of crust.

  5. Prepare Pumpkin Layer: Whisk together pumpkin and next 5 ingredients until smooth; pour over cream cheese layer in crust. Cover tart edges with aluminum foil.

  6. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes; reduce temperature to 350°, and bake 45 to 55 more minutes or until a knife inserted in center of pumpkin layer comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 12 hours.

  7. Prepare Meringue Topping: Whisk together honey, egg whites, and salt. Pour water to a depth of 1 inch into bottom of a double boiler over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer; place honey mixture in top of double boiler over simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture reaches 160°. Quickly transfer mixture to bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, and beat, using whisk attachment, until stiff peaks form.

  8. Gently blot any moisture that collected on top of tart during chilling with a paper towel. Spread Honey Swiss Meringue over tart. Brown meringue using a kitchen torch, holding torch 1 to 2 inches from meringue and moving torch back and forth.

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