Ingredients

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)
  • 13 cup sugar
  • 14 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 14 lb unsalted butter, melted
  • 12 cup half-and-half
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 34 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 14 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 extra-large egg yolks
  • 1 (2 teaspoon) package unflavored gelatin
  • 1 ripe banana, finely mashed
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 12 cup cold heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cup cold heavy cream
  • 14 cup sugar
  • 12 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • orange zest (optional)

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl and mix well.
  • Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom.
  • Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.
  • For the filling, heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes.
  • Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler and stir well.
  • Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly.
  • You don't want the eggs to scramble.
  • Remove from the heat.
  • Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water.
  • Add the dissolved gelatin, banana, and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well.
  • Set aside to cool.
  • Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
  • Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks.
  • Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell.
  • Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
  • For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
  • Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks.
  • Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest.
  • Serve chilled.