In my party-going and party-throwing experiences over the years, I've learned a thing or two. One is that bite-size desserts are much easier to eat. They tend to be more popular also, perhaps because the diminutive size offers less guilt. So, for the bash I threw recently, I decided to make these mini pumpkin tart wedges.
The recipe is adapted from the Pumpkin Pie recipe in "Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook." I did not get all fussy with the crust like she did. I used Anne Dimock's Pie Chart for Piecrust* in the book "Humble Pie" and made enough dough for a one-crust pie. I also used up a couple dough scraps I had in the freezer. The end result was six 4.5-inch tart shells. (Wedges from five are in the photo.)
Another adaptation lies in the preparation of the filling. My husband made the filling for these, and they aren't in the form of a true pie anyway, so they won't go toward the pie tally. For this filling, winter squash was used instead of pumpkin. Also, the exact proportions are probably a bit off compared to Martha's recipe. We use a higher ratio of squash to other ingredients, so that no squash is wasted. My husband initially made a large batch (maybe a double or triple recipe) and froze any extras. These tarts are the remnants of those frozen extras. Not a tart wedge was left standing at the end of the party, so I'd say they were a hit.
current pie tally: 13 (still)
*I use unsalted butter instead of shortening in my crust (in the same proportion).
2 comments:
Hey Sarah - great idea. I will be watching!!! And stealing great ideas. One question.. can you make this bread without a bread machine?
Sarah, yes, all of the breads I make in the bread machine are able to be made the old fashioned way as well. Use a traditional yeast and mix the yeast with the tepid liquid (and sweetener?) first before adding the dry stuff. Once all ingredients are added, you would follow basic rising/resting, kneading, and baking instructions.
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