Pumpkin Meringue Tarts with Whole Wheat Shortbread Crust
These mini pumpkin tarts are a delicious offering for your Thanksgiving dessert table! Made with no refined sugar, the creamy custard filling is nestled into a buttery whole wheat shortbread crust, and topped with an airy toasted maple meringue. It's next-level pumpkin pie!
Servings: 6 4 ½-inch mini tarts
Calories: 649kcal
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust
- 2 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ⅓ cup sucanat or coconut sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks)
- ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
For the Pumpkin Filling
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (approx. ½ a 7.5 ounce can0
- ½ cup sucanat (or coconut sugar)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup heavy cream
For the Maple Meringue
- 2 egg whites
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
Make the Shortbread Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the flour, sucanat or coconut sugar, and salt in a bowl, and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Press/knead the mixture with your hands until it forms a ball.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, and press each into the bottom and up the sides of 4 ½-inch mini tart pan.
- Place the mini tart shells on a baking sheet, and fill with Pumpkin Filling.
Make the Pumpkin Filling
- Place the pumpkin, sucanat or coconut sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves in a bowl and stir in the eggs until incorporated.
- Whisk in the cream, and pour about 3 ½ ounces of filling into each of the 6 tart shells.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges of the tarts are golden and the filling is set.
- Cool completely, then top with Maple Meringue just before serving.
Make the Maple Meringue
- Place the egg whites and salt in a large mixing bowl and whip on medium-high speed until the mixture holds soft peaks.
- With the mixer still running, carefully pour in the maple syrup in a slow, thin stream.
- Continue to whip until the meringue holds stiff peaks.
- Divide evenly between the 6 baked and cooled tarts, then toast with a kitchen torch, or in a 400 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 649kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 493mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 7580IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2.7mg