Maple Bourbon Pumpkin Tart

Makes dough for a 9-inch standard pie crust

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
• 3 ounces cream cheese, cold, cut into cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Filling

• All-purpose flour (for dusting)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin purée
• ¼ cup crème fraiche
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup, preferably grade B
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream

Toasted kasha and pepitas

• ¼ cup kasha – raw buckwheat
• ¼ cup pepitas
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Add the cream cheese to the flour. Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the butter and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. Now add the cream and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas, and the mixture holds together when pressed between two fingers. Pour the mixture onto a work surface, knead it together and press into a flat disk. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.
2. Roll out disk of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 14” round. Transfer to a 9” pie dish or fluted, removable bottom tart pan as I did. Lift up edge and allow dough to slump down into dish. Trim, leaving about 1” overhang. Fold overhang under and crimp edge. Chill in freezer 15 minutes or overnight. You can also bake the pie dough directly from frozen.
3. Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°. Line pie with parchment paper or heavy-duty foil, leaving a 1½” overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is dry around the edge, about 20 minutes. Remove paper and weights and bake until surface of crust looks dry, 5–10 minutes. Brush bottom and sides of crust with 1 beaten egg. Return to oven and bake until dry and set, about 3 minutes longer.(Brushing crust with egg and baking will prevent a soggy crust.)
4. Whisk pumpkin purée, crème fraiche, bourbon, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and remaining 3 eggs in a large bowl; set aside. Pour maple syrup in a small saucepan; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean (reserve pod for another use) or add vanilla extract and bring syrup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and small puffs of steam start to release, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream in 3 additions, stirring with a wooden spoon after each addition until smooth. Gradually whisk hot maple cream into pumpkin mixture.
5. Place pie or tart dish on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in filling. Bake rotating halfway through, until set around edge but center barely jiggles, 50–60 minutes. Transfer pie dish or tart pan to a wire rack and let pie cool.
6. In a small saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until melted. Add the kasha and sauté, tossing continuously until the grain releases a nutty fragrance and becomes golden brown, 5 minutes. Add the pepitas and sauté a few minutes more. Season with salt to taste and set aside to cool completely.
7. Once pie is completely cool, sprinkle the toasted kasha and pepitas over the pumpkin.