Ingredients
Gingersnap Pecan Crust
2 cups raw pecans
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon molasses
3 tablespoons coconut oil melted
Salted Vanilla Caramel
1 can full fat coconut milk chilled overnight
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 to ¼ teaspoon salt
Coconut Whip
1 can full fat coconut milk chilled overnight
Pumpkin filling
1 ½ cup pumpkin puree
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
¼ cup coconut whip
Place a glass bowl and the whisk attachment you will be using to make the coconut whip in the freezer to chill.
For the crust, preheat the oven to 350F. Process the pecans, salt, and spices until they resemble a coarse meal. Add the molasses, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Process until the dough is whirling around your food processor as a large sticky ball. Press the dough into a 4″ x 14″ rectangular, or an 8″ – 9″ circular, tart pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
For the caramel sauce, remove the chilled can of full fall coconut milk from the refrigerator, open, scoop out 1 cup of the thick cream that should have separated from the water, and place it in a small sauce pan on the stove. Add the maple syrup, turn on the burner to high, and whisk to combine into a smooth mixture. Bring to a boil, and slightly reduct the heat to allow it to continue boiling without spilling over the sides of the sauce pan. Allow the caramel sauce to boil for 15 minutes, whisking vigorously every 3 minutes, which should reduced it’s volume to about half. Remove the pot from the heat and add in the vanilla and your desired amount of salt. Whisk the caramel well, and transfer to a glass jar on the counter to let cool, uncovered.
For the coconut whip, remove the chilled bowl and whisk attachment from the freezer. Scoop the thick coconut cream from the chilled can that should have separated while chilling overnight (just as it was done above for the caramel sauce) and place it in the chilled bowl. Using the chilled whisk with either a hand held or stand up mixer, whip the coconut cream until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to keep chilled while you prepare the filling.
For the pumpkin filling, roast one small sugar pumpkin (cut in half, seeds removed) cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment in the oven at 350F for 25-35 minutes (depending on the size of your pumpkin). Once cooled, scoop out the flesh into the bowl of your food processor and puree. Leave 1 ½ cups of the puree in the processor bowl, and store any extra puree in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Puree the 1 ½ cups of pumpkin with the coconut whip, maple syrup, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (1 teaspoon cinnamon, heaping ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, heaping ¼ teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, 1/8 teaspoon cloves). Spread the filling evenly inside of the cooled tart shell and place in the freezer to set for 15 minutes.
Remove the chilled tart from the freezer. Gently press up from the bottom of the tart pan, releasing the sides from the shell, and place on a serving board or plate. Top with coconut whip and drizzle with caramel sauce. Slice. Eat. Share. Be merry. Happy fall.
