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Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake Tart

Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake tart

Wow. That was a long week at home with the kids! It wasn’t as bad as I make it sound, they were quite self sufficient and didn’t bug me too much about anything, which is a relief. I did enjoy sleeping in and not having to make packed lunches and the like. My husband also had a nice stretch of days off so it tuned out to be quite relaxing, albeit quite unproductive, few days.

pumpkin mascarpone cheesecake tart

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that your own family didn’t drive you crazy! Of course, next up is Christmas and I see all the shopping craziness has started. Even though we don’t celebrate Christmas in my family, I love this time of year. I don’t like shopping during it, but I love the festivities; the colours, the twinkling lights and the food.

As a teen, I loved going Christmas shopping for my friends, and very often we would go together and have a fabulous time up and down Oxford Street. Many times, since we didn’t have a celebration at home, I’d go to my friend’s house at Christmas. So, I have a fond place in my heart for this time of the year. For me, it’s filled with great memories of good times with friends and great food.

pumpkin mascarpone cheesecake tart

I thought I would share this Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake Tart I made for our Thanksgiving dinner last Thursday. It was a nice change from the usual pie but not so different as to not have the traditional pie flavours. I use the term “cheesecake” lightly, because though it does contain cheese, it’s only a smidgen and it’s not a very heavy cheesecake at all. I find this kind of a tart is nice when you have many other desserts on the table.

Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake Tart

Pumpkin and fall flavours are still very much in season and this can be a great dessert for the Christmas table. I used a gingerbread cookie crust so it added a nice traditional holiday flavour. So, if you’re looking for a pie/tart/cheesecake for your holiday table, this Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake Tart could be the one. It’s also incredibly easy to throw together.

Excuse the photos today, I took a few minutes out of cooking on Thursday to quickly snap a few on the kitchen table. I was afraid there would be nothing left the day after, I was right. If you’re interested, the other two pies/tarts are pecan tart and a banoffee (a banana caramel) pie.

pumpkin mascarpone cheesecake tart

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Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake Tart

Calories: 3273

Fat: 185g

A creamy, light pumpkin mascarpone cheesecake tart with a holiday gingerbread cookie crust.
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookie Crust
  • 230g/36-38 gingerbread cookies (I used Whole Foods/365 brand cookies)
  • 1 tbs sugar
  • 4 tbs butter, melted
Pumpkin Mascarpone Filling
  • 1 cup/250g mascarpone cheese
  • 15oz/425g pumpkin purée
  • 3 eggs, large organic
  • 1 cup/200g sugar, granulated
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookie Crust
  1. Preheat oven to 350℉/℃
  2. In a food processor, break up the gingerbread cookies into fine crumbs.
  3. Add the sugar.
  4. Tip out into a bowl and add the melted butter.
  5. Press into a 11"/28cm removable bottom tart pan.
  6. Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes until just set.
  7. Let it cool while making the filling.
Pumpkin Mascarpone Filling
  1. In mixer bowl or with a hand mixer, beat the mascarpone and pumpkin together.
  2. Add the sugar, salt and spices.
  3. Add the eggs, one at a time until just beaten.
  4. Do not over beat the eggs.
  5. Pour the filling into the cooled cookie crust and bake in the centre of the oven.
  6. Bake until just set, about 40-45 minutes.
  7. Chill overnight before serving.
  8. Serve with a side of whipped cream or pipe cream around the tart edge.
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pumpkin mascarpone cheesecake tart

I’ve been seeing amazing holiday cookies and treats on all the wonderful blogs and am looking forward to visiting you all now that I have time. I hope you are all having a great start to the week. This morning as I was struggling to get up for the kids, I literally counted the days to the winter break when I could sleep in again! I know, I know, two more weeks.


Comments

  1. Pumpkin Mascapone sounds amazing. A pumpkin pie and a cheese cake combine. What could be better!?
    My family did not have this holiday off, go figure they don’t celebrate this in China but our family celebrated it just the same. I can’t wait to try your pumpkin marcapone cheesecake tart next holiday. Have a super weekend and take care, BAM
    Bam’s Kitchen recently posted..Holiday Baking Woes and WondersMy Profile

    • Only the US gives this holiday off. I didn’t ever celebrate this in England and they still don’t. But my hubby and children are Americans! I have a mutiny on my hands when I don’t cook 🙂

  3. Look at that perfect ratio of filling to razor straight crust. Beautiful! I love this time of year too, but I must admit that I’m distracted by the lure of Thailand… 🙂 I have no idea what we’ll do for Christmas lunch, but that’s ok – sometimes keeping it a bit more relaxed and less planed is a good thing!
    Jas@AbsolutelyJas recently posted..In My Kitchen – DecemberMy Profile

    • Thanks Peachy! Cheesecake, I think are one of the easiest cakes to make. Hope you try it next fall 🙂

    • Thank you John. I love mascarpone, my favourite being tiramisu, of course. I’ve started using it more in baked goods lately, I love it’s creaminess.

  6. Nazneen, I think the combination of mascarpone cheese, pumpkin purée and the spices makes for one delicious dessert tart. Personally, I adore tarts. I know that not everyone feels the same about tarts but they are often more elegant than cakes and most of the time taste so much better and are less filling as desserts! I love everything about this wonderful tart – it certainly would be a fabulous addition to any celebration dinner or lunch!
    As far as the crust is concerned, I have made similar ones with Dutch spice cookies and Belgian speculoos cookies – I know that crusts like this are unbelievably good!
    Have a fabulous Wednesday, dear friend!
    TheKitchenLioness recently posted..Burnt Sugar Almonds – Gebrannte MandelnMy Profile

    • Thank you my dear Andrea! I adore tarts too, I think it’s the European thing. I think they are elegant and sophisticated and looks like you spent hours making it. I also like that you use less filling and it ends up a lighter dessert as you said. I love them! All kinds! Have a great week my dear!

  7. Hey, love the pie, beautiful and the layers are just very tempting.
    I am totally with you on the same page about shopping, do not like shopping during this time, but it feels so festive.
    Glad you had a relaxing break, I loved mine too, no packing lunches, no morning craziness and sleeping in a little bit.:).
    Have a great week.
    Ash-foodfashionparty recently posted..PARISIAN HOT CHOCOLATEMy Profile

    • Thanks Asha, it was nice but too short! Can’t wait till winter break, I really want to sleep in!

  12. Nazneen, not bad..you are getting to like pumpkin (unlike me)! Actually, if someone made me a pie like that and told me there was mascarpone in that, I would start to like it too. When I saw the first picture while scrolling down, I found myself wishing I was there in your house eating a slice of each of your pies…maybe two of the pecan tart:-) All of them look gorgeous! Glad you are enjoying a little break. When will it be my turn..sigh!
    Sugar et al recently posted..Nutella Filled Linzer CookiesMy Profile

    • Sonali, can I tell you a secret? I still don’t like it 🙁 I make all these pumpkin things because everyone else likes them and it seems that the world is crazy for them! I bake whatever pumpkin thing, taste a wee bit to check my recipe for spices, taste and stuff, and then that’s it. I see everyone enjoying it so I know it’s good! But I don’t eat it!!

    • I agree! I think a tart always looks so sophisticated and elegant. I love pies but think of them as more rustic and homely. Each has it’s place I think. Thanks Monica!

    • Thanks Minnie, yes, you are very right! We didn’t do much all week except for me doing a bit of cooking for the dinner. It was nice though,

    • Thanks Abbe! I’m not a fan of the lunch making, I started off this year with great intentions, but have got into my usual rut. Oh well.

  17. Nazneen – from the bottom of this crust, to the wreath of whipped cream on top, this looks like a tart that will definitely become a holiday tradition! I generally am a purist about pumpkin pie, but this one has me drooling! 🙂 I love that you enjoy the holidays even though you don’t celebrate – I feel much the same about holidays from other cultures, too. There are so many wonderful times to share and each one teaches us something beautiful about another culture…
    David recently posted..Getting Down to the Nitty Gritti (Palace)My Profile

    • Thank you David, you are too sweet. The tart is very similar to pumpkin pie, so I think you would like it. I don’t like the strong spice flavours that pie sometimes tends to have so the mascarpone was a nice mellow flavour. I can’t help but enjoy this time of the year!

  18. My goodness, that tart looks like a work of absolute perfection! What an awesome job!
    I agree with you, although I don’t celebrate Christmas, its hard not to get just a teeny bit swept up in the festive atmosphere (not to mention all the goodies).
    Hope you are well daaaahling!
    *kisses* H
    Heavenly recently posted..Diptyque Event at LibertyMy Profile

    • Thanks H! It’s hard not to get swept up, everything looks so beautiful and here, we get the occasional snow flurry to add to the beauty, of course, as I type this, we are in the midst of an Arctic blast, it’s bloody freezing!

    • Thanks Shashi, there wasn’t a lot of cheese but it did tame the pumpkin and make it creamy. I love mascarpone though, I love it’s creaminess and non tangy-ness

    • Thanks Lea Ann, I don’t want to cause any family pie rifts!! Moms pies are always a good tradition to stick with!

  22. I remember those trips up and down Oxford Street with friends and now the Glam Teens hang out there. It’s heaving now and even some years they’ve had pedestrian controls. Walking up on the left pavement and down on the right!! Now I shop locally or in the quieter parts of London which are just as much fun. Your tart looks great. Pumpkin and mascarpone would create a really delicious smooth filling. GG xx
    Glamorous Glutton recently posted..Silent SundayMy Profile

    • I can imagine it’s pretty bad! I went back a few years ago and couldn’t believe the throngs and it wasn’t even holiday time! It used to be so busy when I was there, can only imagine the state now. It’s a wonderful place to hang out though, I used to go to school in Harley Street so my lunch time, free periods, after school were all spent walking through Oxford Street. The #2 bus took me home 🙂

  23. I love how this pie has a ginger cookie crust – I think ginger and pumpkin with spice go together so well. I don’t mine the photography – looks good to me; I just think your pie looks gorgeous and very celebratory xx
    Hotly Spiced recently posted..Bells at KillcareMy Profile

    • Thanks Charlie! Tarts always look special and that’s why I love to make them, but I love pies too…..

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