I love Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, warm homemade dinner rolls, green bean casserole.... what's not to love? But, the fun in hosting Thanksgiving (for me, at least) is all about the dessert.
While I wouldn't think about hosting a Thanksgiving dinner without at least one pecan pie and pumpkin pie, I also want there to be a couple of other options. And Thanksgiving is not the time to serve an untested recipe. So, I'm auditioning Thanksgiving Dessert ideas now. Which has it's rewards... the least of which is the fact that I think most Thanksgiving desserts should have liquor in them.
This rum custard tart fits exactly what I think a Thanksgiving desert should be:
It looks like special occasion food, although it's simple to make and all the components can be made ahead of time. The crust doesn't even require any rolling. Most importantly, it's an indulgence worth Every. Single. Calorie.
Actually, who wants to wait for Thanksgiving? This is currently my favorite dessert any time of year.
📖 Recipe
Rum Custard Tart
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST:
- 4 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoon very cold water
FOR THE FILLING:
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon dark or light rum
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
FOR SERVING:
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream, flavored with a teaspoon of vanilla and spiked with a tablespoon or two of rum
- Almond Pralines
Instructions
CRUST:
- Put the brown sugar, all-purpose flour, almond flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms pea-size clumps.
- Pour the mixture out into a medium size bowl. With your hands or a wooden spoon, mix in the egg yolk and water just until combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the top of the dough to cover and pat into a disc. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. With floured hands, gently press the dough out to fill the pan, coming flush with the top rim of the dish. This is a very wet dough - continue to flour your hands as necessary. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, or freeze for 25 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line the dough with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 25 minutes, lift the foil and beans or pie weights out of the pan and bake for 10 minutes more. The crust should be golden and set. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
FILLING
- In a medium size bowl whisk the eggs and granulated sugar with a wire whisk until lightened and slightly thickened. Whisk in the flour, cornstarch and salt until combined.
- In a medium size sauce-pan heat the milk and cream until small bubbles begin to appear around the edge of the pan. Remove from heat.
- Very gradually, pour about 1 cup of the hot milk and cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture into the sauce pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
- Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted, then the vanilla and rum. Pour filling into the cooled crust. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerated for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
- Serve with a dollop of rum-spiked whipped cream and a sprinkling of almond pralines.
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Julie says
I messed this up Rebecca - for some reason my tart pan did not release the tart. Was I supposed to grease it first? I want to try this again because even though it was broken in pieces, it was delicious.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Julie! What a bummer... is it a pan with removable sides? Did the sides stick to the dough?
Julie says
Yes - removable tart pan - brand new for this tart. It all stuck like glue. I think I'll give your crustless version a try as well.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Have you used the pan before? And, if so, is this the first time you've had crust stick to it?
Julie says
It was brand new - first time making anything in it, but I've used the other Fat Daddio pans before with great success.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Yes, that's a good brand. And if it was new, there definitely shouldn't have been a problem. Darn. I thought the solution might be as simple as getting a new tart pan. 🙂 Ok. There are a few things to try for next time. If there's any possibility that there was a crack in the crust that allowed filling to leak under the crust, that might have caused the crust to stick. Another idea is that the crust didn't bake all the way through. If you saw any evidence of raw or undercooked dough, that could have been the issue.
If you don't think either of those things could have been the issue, I'd suggest greasing and flouring the pan before pressing the crust dough into the pan - rub it lightly with butter or vegetable shortening and then dust it with a light layer of flour. You can also try using non-stick spray. There should be enough fat in the dough itself to prevent sticking.... but, since that wasn't your experience, greasing the pan should do the trick. Fingers crossed!
If you ever run into a similar situation with a crust that's sticking, you could try gently heating the bottom of the pan with a hair dryer. This should slightly melt the fat in the crust and allow it to release. This doesn't always work perfectly well... but can save a pie or tart that's stuck from having to be scooped out with a spoon. 🙂
I hope that helps! If you make this again, will you let me know if you have better luck?
xo
Julie says
Wow - amazing tips - thank you!!!
MaryB says
Just found this - it sounds fantastic! Could this be done as a crustless dessert? Do you have any hints for doing so? Thanks so much.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Mary! This tart has made an appearance on our Thanksgiving table every year for the past several. It's soooo yummy! But, I wouldn't suggest trying it without the crust. The custard is slightly too soft and needs a crust to hold it together. If you're looking for a crustless tart, you could try this one: https://ofbatteranddough.com/crustless-custard-tart/
Please let me know if you have any other questions and I'd love to know what you think of the tart (either one) after you bake it! Happy baking! xo
MaryB says
Thanks so much! Love your site.
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
I love all things custard so I know I would love this pie! Also, with rum and almond praline, it's a definite must have on your Thanksgiving menu.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Thanks Thao! Let me know what you think if you make it! xoxo
Michael Richardson says
Hi,
I'm the managing editor of Healthy Magazine. Would Batter & Dough be interested in featuring one of their recipes in the magazine? We are always looking for new contributors, and it's clear you know what you're doing.
With every contributor, we include brief bios, with links to your website and whatever information you want.
Our magazine (digital version): http://issuu.com/healthymagazine/docs/healthy-magazine-1410
Please email me.
-Michael
Rebecca Blackwell says
Thanks for the opportunity, Michael. I'll send you an email right now.