chocolate-pumpkin tart

the goods:

crust:
20 oreo cookies, filling scraped out and discarded
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

filling:
1 and 1/2 cups cooled sugar-pumpkin puree (see side-note)
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse cookies and sugar until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until crumbs are moistened.



Using the bottom of a dry measuring cup, press crumbs into bottom (but not sides) of an 11-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until set. about 12 minutes.



Pour chocolate onto warm crust; spread with a spatula. Freeze until chocolate is firm, about 5 minutes. Brush sides of tart pan with butter; set aside.



Side-note: I am a big believer that when it is worth it, you should make it fresh (example: Fresh pumpkin puree: 100 times better than canned. Canned tomatoes: just as good as fresh! Therefore, not worth it to invest the time it takes to boil, blanch and peel your own!). So when fall commences, I buy a sugar-pumpkin. I peel it, scoop out the seeds, cut it into chunks and steam it until tender. Then I throw it in my food processor, and TA-DA! Fresh pumpkin puree that will most likely last me all season, depending on how pumpkin crazed I am. - If you are not a nut like me, then buying a can of pure pumpkin puree is just fine.



In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin, egg, cream, sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin-pie spice, and salt.



Pour filling into prepared crust.



Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until set, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 1 hour at room temperature; refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 1 day).